2 lovely things

So, I wasn't going to write until I got back from the frio, but I saw two things today that warmed my heart, and I had to share them with someone.

1. I was packing the van today (usually Hyphen does this and it involves lots of sweating and gnashing of teeth) and I saw a butterfly. I noticed that it was flapping its wings. It had caught a breeze, kind of like a surfer catches a wave and was just letting the wind take it where it blew. And I could tell that this butterfly, and it was one of those big huge black and yellow ones, was just having a good time. Like its hair was flowing in the breeze and it felt young and free and alive. And it made me feel young and free and alive. Don't you just love God's creatures?

2. My friend and I are at war with the sippy cup. They are disgusting things that stink and drip. But for Annabelle they are the last vestige of nursing. She likes to drink milk in the morning and after her nap from her sippy. And she likes for me to hold her and she likes to stroke my arm or my face while she is drinking her milk. In our house we call this and most other snuggly time "get cuddles." When Annabelle gets cuddles with her milk, she only wants mama. She really is vocal about her displeasure when papa tires to take my place. The only other people she has let hold her while she is drinking her milk are my mom and Hieu's mom. Even if we are on the go, like at Target, she will drink her milk and stroke my hand as I push the cart.

Today, as we were driving to Castroville, she asked for her milk. This was after her shoe meltdown, where she wanted her shoes on and then off for about 20 minutes and also after I saw wheels on the bus, row, row and where is thumbkin for about 30 minutes straight. She got quiet and Hyphen asked what she was doing. I looked back and saw her sucking on that damned sippy with one hand and stroking the dog's ear with the other one.

We chuckled about this and then I remembered the butterfly and said "thank you God for all the lovely things I got to see today."

On a distinctly un-lovely note, Hyphen, and I am not exaggerating about this, lasted one minute in the car before complaining about how I had packed it, in the heat, in the rain...uphill, both ways.