“I get up with you Da.”
“No, it’s 4 in the morning and you got up with me yesterday. You have to sleep. It’s a big day,” I explain, brushing hair out of her face, searching for her blanket in the dark.
Grabbing my hand she slides out of bed and we stumble into the Living Room, light candles, snuggle on the sofa, and watch television.
“Be right back,” I shoot, quickly returning to the bathroom where I’d spent the better part of the last hour.
Back on the sofa, Che patiently waits.
She’s become quite the caregiver.
“Can you make it Dad?” she asks, holding my hand, leading me to her room because she knows I’m struggling with queasiness.
“I get it for you Dad,” she smiles, rushing from the sofa to grab my juice as I fight to get up.
“I love you Dad,” she says, leaving her friends in the backyard to find me standing in the front yard talking to Sarah about impossible arrangements.
We both stop and stare. I wonder what possesses our little girl to leave the friends she desperately begged to have over and find me to remind me I’m loved.
“Maddie comes home today,” she says when I resume cuddling on the sofa. “I am so excited.”
And I am too this Thanksgiving!
I have lots to be thankful for, not the least being my early morning caregiver.
There’s lots more though.
It’s hard knowing where to start.
And I don’t want to waste time counting my blessings when I’m celebrating the one I’m holding.
I hope that’s your Thanksgiving too.
Why waste time counting things when you can hold love in your hands?
“Want marshmallows Dad?” Che asks.
She has a bag of the green shamrocks, pink hearts, orange clovers and yellow moons someone gave her for her birthday.
“For breakfast?”
“Yeah,” she nods.
“Sure,” I shrug.
“Let’s get them together,” she smiles, pulling me off the sofa.
