Just in Case

Yesterday was another rainy day so to help burn off some energy I put on some fun music and we danced. Well, Aden and I danced while Jonathan played with his cars and trucks and Elizabeth crawled around beneath us. As we danced my mind became flooded with memories of me dancing with Aden in our house on Wellhaven Street. I would hold him in my arms as we danced and we would sing and giggle together. Sweet, sweet memories of time with my precious boy! So yesterday we danced, holding hands mostly, I would spin him and he would giggle and I was reminded of the "story" I heard (that TOTALLY stuck with me!) of the man who, one day, realized that he no longer held his son (because the boy had gotten older...perhaps younger siblings filled the father's arms) and who was saddened that he didn't cherish "the last time" he got to hold the boy. Of course he didn't think to cherish the moment because, who knew that it would be the last time? As I watched Aden bouncing and wiggling in front of me I thought, "Surely I have time. I'll hold him many more times before it's the last time!" We danced some more (by this time I was holding Elizabeth on my hip while we danced) and then all of a sudden Aden stopped, put his little arms around my waist, looked at me with his big blue eyes, and said in his sweet little voice, "Mommy, I want to be holded!" I'm telling you, I have never set the baby down so quickly! I picked him up and held him and held him and held him, all the while his little arms were wrapped around my neck and his sweet head was resting tenderly on my chest, and I cherished every moment of it...just in case.