mommy mushiness

chris has been on vacation from work this week & he has been positively delightful to have around. we didn't have any big plans for the week, just regular life, but him not going to work, meant him being rested & less stressed for 7 days.

today i had to work & it was my biggest job, so i came home tired & with my back hurting, but chris made a nice, healthy, early dinner for us. he also cleaned up the kitchen & then took brooke out to the mall so that i could rest peacefully and they could get some exercise, walking off dinner as well as visiting some pitiful puppies at the pet store. he bought her stickers she fell in love with & they came home smiling & relaxed. every single night this week, chris has read books to our girl and a couple nights i sat in on the reading session and was surprised & delighted to discover that the reason they're taking so long getting through this chapter book is because every time he reads a word or concept to her that he's not sure she understands, he stops & explains it to her. he makes sure she's absorbing all of it rather than just getting through the pages.

every night this week chris has tucked brooke into her bed, sang her some old hymns & kissed her goodnight. last night it took them nearly 2 hrs from start to finish for her to get to bed because she decided to "surprise mommy & make her happy" by drawing a bath for herself without being told & then chris went in to hang out with her & he took his guitar in with him. i muted the tv from downstairs so that i could hear him twanging out the blues while she, at first timidly & then gradually more boldly, belted out her own impromptu lyrics while he strummed and encouraged. i think they may have watched an episode of sponge bob before the final prayers and songs and even though, as a rule, i'm opposed to cartoons when it's already past bedtime, i didn't even bat a disapproving eyelash when brooke quietly mentioned that this morning.

it makes this mom's heart tremendously happy, not just to have my beloved family around me, but to feel them adoring each other. to see them enjoying each other's company as if nothing else in the world matters except the moment they're in, right then. my night was topped off when brooke requested that i please kiss her 30 times before she could go to bed and after that yumminess was complete, then she planted kisses on my nose, forehead, both cheeks & then one right on the mouth.

my world is beautiful.