Goodnight

Days in the Pope family are busy ones. We wake up early, make breakfasts, brush hair and teeth, go to work and daycare, cook, read stories, do artwork, and play. All while trying to take every opportunity to love on each other and teach new life lessons. Two parents working full time jobs while trying to do the very best job we can raising a curious toddler, by the end of the day, we are exhausted.

Bedtime for Josie is a sweet time of day for us. Andrew and I give Josie her bath together and we all lay on the bed while I brush her teeth. Then, after hugs and kisses from Daddy, I take her up to her room to read her the same books that we have read every night for the past 2 months, her favorites. We talk about the pictures and say the names of the ones we know. Then we whisper, "I love you Ladybug" and I lay her in her crib. Then she drifts off to sleep with a sweet, "Night-night Mama" as I close the door.

Finally, some alone time. Some time to do the things I've been meaning to do all day or time to just sit and veg out. Time alone with Andrew. It's so nice and relaxing.

But every night, about 15 minutes after I lay my baby girl down for a long night of peaceful dreams, a funny thing happens.

I begin to miss her.

I start to wonder what she's dreaming about, if she had a good day. I long to touch her, to hold her, to feel her breathing against my skin. I miss her silly little laugh and the way she says, "ummm, No." to every request. I wonder if I was a good mother to her that day and if she knows what she means to me.

And even though the day was long and hard, I can't wait for tomorrow to get here so I can hear her call my name and we will do it all over again.