28/28 (Love)

For this last day of February's pictures (and yes, I know that we're posting on March 1, but I did snap the moment yesterday) I absolutely could not select just one picture. There was too much specialness going on!

First: Cousin time.

My dear cousin, Emily, came to visit for the afternoon and Norah fell in Love with her. Norah climbed in her lap, literally hung all over her, monopolized her conversations, sloppied up her hair, et cetera, et cetera. At several points, it seemed that Norah was trying her best to be on her worst behavior. But Emily handled like a champ. She smiled, held, laughed, and permitted way more than I would. And at the end of our visit, they posed for a fake "chat" to mark the crazy afternoon that it had been.

Love puts up with a lot.

Next, Great Grandpoppy time.

Also along for the day trip, my darling Grandpoppy. Grandpoppy loves little girls, especially 5 year old girls. When I was small, my favorite part about a visit to my grandparents' house would be when he shook my hand goodbye and then pretended that he had glue on his palm. "Oh well, you'll just have to stay here with me!" I've seen him play this game with all of my cousins and little sisters and nieces... Norah was too clever (and a bit shy of Grandpoppy) to fall for the hand-shake routine, but she did agree to stand with him for a picture.

I Love my grandfather.

(even if I'm too old to shake hands)

And finally, good bye time.

This is my strong and handsome baby sailor brother.

His two week leave ended today and he returned to his base in Virginia.

I am very proud of him and happy that he is doing something meaningful, but...

I wish it did not involve distance between us.

I wish that it were a safer task.

I wish that he could have somehow stayed the adorable curly-haired toddler that he was.

I love you, Chris.

Be careful with yourself, because you are important to a lot of weirdo people you call family.