Tender Moments

"Hey Buddy, will you always hug me? Even when you are 10 years old?"
"Yea Mama, even when I am 10 years old"
"And when you are 12, will you still hug me then too?"
"Yea Mama, I will even hug you when I am big and strong like Daddy."

And we snuggled into the couch. Me with my feverish 4 year old nestled into my arm and him with his arm hugging me close. "Mama, I can go to sleep now because I am safe." "Yea Baby, you can go to sleep now. Please rest so you can wake up feeling better."

A big warm blanket over us and I just listened to him breathe. His warm, soft breath tickled my neck a little. And he squirmed like he always has as he tried to get comfortable and find rest. I stroked his face like I used to do all the time when he was much smaller. My fingers fell familiarly over his forehead and down his cheek and his eyes eventually got heavy like they used to when I would stroke his face and hair.

His big blue eyes began to close and right before he drifted off to sleep "I love you." "I love you too Big Guy".

And I just laid there with him and prayed over him and soaked in the moment. So thankful for his tender heart and kind soul and for the lessons he teaches me every day. Inhaling the smell of the shampoo on his soft brown hair and the warmth of his skin on my cheek. And wondering if he will ever even remember that he promised to still hug me when he is 10.

Even if he doesn't remember, I will always cherish the time I spent cuddling him on the couch so he could safely go to sleep. He is a sweet sweet blessing to me.