Joy

Dearest Devyn,

You cannot possibly know how much joy you give me.

Just now, you came down the stairs saying, "Come, mama! We can go outside!" Your voice makes me so happy.  The words you are stringing together for the first time, like pearls on a necklace, make me so happy.  Just the fact that you want me to be a part of your happiness makes me happy.

I love the way you talk, the way you run, the way your hair shines with gold in the sunlight.

You are outside right now, filling a bucket over and over again from daddy's water hose and pouring it on the plants.  "I'm helping Daddy," you tell me.  "Plants are SOOO thirsty!"

And my heart could break for loving you so much.

You are so incredibly sweet, and brilliant, and curious; so grown up and yet still so small.  My big girl baby.

It only took us two days for you to get the hang of potty training.  You are amazing.

I wish I could hug you and kiss on you all day long.  But you are too busy for that.  As it should be.

We just got back from a long trip to Dallas.  We went to see Pop and Poppy especially, because they are both sick.  You took it all in stride. You were sweet and loving, patient and helpful, everything we have no right to ask a two-year-old to be.  And I felt so, so grateful that you got to spend time with your great grandfather.  That you got to see your Pop.  That you got to fall asleep on the sofa with your great grandmother and cuddle your Gran.

"She's so smart," your daycare teacher tells us, but we already know it.  You are amazing.  And you make me want to be a better person, just to live up to the standards you're already setting.

I love you so much,
~Mommy