Little Cute Moments

"Can I have a kiss?" and she leans in, mouth open, and kisses me on the lips.

I am in the swimming pool, and she is pouring little shovel fulls of water over my head from a bucket on the side, laughing hysterically at each one.

"A baby kangaroo is called a joey." Bounce bounce bounce goes my knee.  Flap flap flap go her arms.

"Say more.  What do you want?  Tell me what you want."  "moe!"  And she claps with pride as she realizes that she said it, not signed it.

I wonder where she is, and peek around the corner.  There she is, waiting, looking, hoping I will see her at the bottom of the stairs.  As soon as I do, she squeals and high-tails it up as fast as possible in a very precarious game of tag.  Good thing the gate isn't open often.

We eat blue cheese.  Or brie.  Or pepper jack.  Or goat on crackers before dinner, and she wants some, and asks for more, and does a little dance when she gets it.

"Mampa!" "Niy niy niy." "Moe!" "burrrrr" she speaks, and we listen.

My little Penelope.  I love that girl.

family. money. aging. children. preparation for the future. blech.

If there is anything that has been impressed in me more and more over the last few weeks, it is that when things are difficult, it is even more important to face them, to share them, to deal with them.  I have always felt that way.  Challenge has always stoked a fire in my gut, has always caused me to gain determination.  But I never, never want to put myself into a place where I limit my options.

I love my grandmother, but her stubbornness and embarrassment over her personal decisions have made it more difficult for everyone to deal with.

I will not hide myself from my family.  I will not hide my successes and failures.  I will not.