March, 2012
I was driving with Lilly. I don't recall where we were going, or where we were coming from. We were listening to the radio. Lilly was talking to me on and off, mostly on for the better part of the ride. But after a while, she picked up her book and started reading. Every now and again she called for me to help her with a word. She would spell it and I would tell her what it was.
She was entertaining herself, sometimes reading out loud, sometimes giggling, sometimes quiet. She was reading a Junie B book. Although I don't know what happened in the story, I can tell you that Lilly thought it was funny. Very funny! She started laughing. And she laughed and laughed. She squirmed in her seat, she kicked her feet, and she laughed some more. She must have laughed for 3 or 4 minutes straight. I kept getting a glance at her when I could. It was one of the cutest things I have ever seen her do.
April 2012
On Saturday nights, Lilly comes into my bed to watch TV. Sometimes she watches a movie, sometimes she watches a cartoon or tv show. She said her prayers, arranged her stuffed animals and dolls, retrieved her book and crawled under the sheets. I sat with her for a few minutes and soon said good night. I closed the door and went back downstairs.
An hour or so later, I heard Lilly laughing. I paused the TV and listened. I could hear her all the way downstairs. She laughed and laughed. I got up out of the chair and quietly but quickly headed upstairs. Through the door, I could hear her loud and clear. Giggling, laughing and squirming. I cracked open the door and peeked in. I could see her on the bed. Her face was a little red as she rolled back and forth. She laughed and squirmed and kicked her feet. I don't know what it is, but watching and hearing her is one of the most special moments for me.
May 2012
Lilly woke me up very early, I mean very early on a Saturday morning. She wasn't feeling well. And soon after, she got sick. Just once, but it was enough to knock her out for most of the day. When she was awake, she didn't move much and she didn't eat. As cute as kids are when they are sick, it is also heart breaking. I saw her laying on the couch, her face a little flushed red, her legs squirming under the blankets. She looked up at me with a cute smile on her face.
On Sunday she was feeling a little better and as the day went on, she began to get her energy back. We had plans to go out to a ball game that night. By the evening she was back to her normal enthusiastic self so we headed off to the game. They were having fireworks after, which was Lilly's driving force to go to the game.
Today 2012
Each of these three short stories could have been part of a trilogy. They all had a common theme and each one had the same ending, one I didn't include above. At first I thought it was just Lilly being the cute little caring girl she is every other day, but that wasn't the case. Lilly often asks me if she is "as special as Mommy". In January, I first experienced this interaction. Here is how it played out...
January 2012
It wasn't long after Christmas when it first happened. Lilly was playing in the living room while watching TV. I was in the other room when she started laughing. I walked in to see what she was laughing at and she was laying on her back on the couch, her legs stretched out over the ottoman. She was laughing so hard her face was turning red and she was squirming and kicking her feet.
"Lilly? What are you laughing at?"
She stretched her neck, caught her breath and loudly announced, "Mommy is tickling my feet! Stop Mommy! Stop Mommy!"
She laughed longer and harder for about 2 minutes. I watched her. It looked like she was being held down. Her smile was bursting from her face. When it stopped, Lilly asked me, "Daddy, do you think Mommy was tickling my feet so that I know she is here with me?"
"I'm sure that's exactly what she wanted you to know."
March - …Lilly thought it was funny. Very Funny! She started laughing. And she laughed and laughed. She squirmed in her seat, she kicked her feet and she laughed some more. Then she said, "Daddy, Mommy is tickling my feet again!"
April - …Through the door, I could hear her loud and clear. Giggling, laughing and squirming. I cracked open the door and peeked in. I could see her on the bed. Her face was a little red as she rolled back and forth. She laughed and squirmed and kicked her feet. She was catching her breath and talking, "Mommy, I know, I know Mommy! Yes! It tickles! It tickles!
May - ...As cute as kids are when they are sick, it is also heart breaking. I saw her laying on the couch, her face a little flushed red, her legs squirming under the blankets. She looked up at me with a cute smile on her face. "Daddy? Do you think Mommy is tickling my feet because she wants me to know she is taking care of me?"
Today 2012 - Sometimes weeks go by and I'll think about how long it has been since I have posted anything to this site. I know how lucky I am to have had so many wonderful experiences to tell you about and although I know I have had more than my share, I get frustrated thinking that maybe the experiences are all used up.
Then something like this happens and I realize that these things happen to Me and Lilly every day. Not all of them are story worthy, but they are always there. Lori's body may not have been able to help us over the last couple of years, but her spirit certainly has.
Alabama sings a song called Angels Among Us. Listen when you get a chance. It is another song from Lori's IPOD that I had never heard but will now always cherish. And the next time your feet are being tickled, remember, that Lori is probably doing it so that you know she is there with you.