Every night we try to say the blessing before dinner.
For all of Clare's life, we have included her in the blessing as we make sure to reach out and touch her as we do each other for the blessing...even when she was tiny, I would hold her or cradle her for it.
Within the last week, she has started holding our hands during the blessing and bouncing while Mason says every word. She's learned the rhythm of it and when it's about it end.
At the very end, right as we're saying Amen, she's begun to exclaim 'AAAAMEN!' with great exuberance and force!
It's the cutest thing ever to look over her smiling face with her bouncing little body so proud that she has made us smile. It has given us a new meaning for "The Blessing". I know I certainly look forward to hearing it now like I never have before.
If it were possible, the present I would give everyone for every holiday would be the way this feels. It makes me well up with happiness and pride and love and all kinds of feelings that I don't think have words.
Having a child (children) is certainly a challenge, but my goodness is it worth it at the most simple times without even meaning to be anything.