Parenting

These are my kids:

I love them both very much. I haven't blogged lately because I just don't know what to say. My cousin and his wife lost their beautiful 17-month old girl last month, and I've somehow been unable to post anything about my babies, knowing they've been separated from one of theirs. I didn't even really know her except through watching her grow up on their blog, but I still ache for them and their loss. And since I really don't blog about anything except my kids, I just haven't blogged. But I have been thinking a lot. I've been thinking of how strange it is to become a parent. As a parent, you just have this enormous amount of love for a very tiny person. So much love that when they're happy it makes you happy, when they're hurt it makes you hurt, and you'd quite literally be willing to give up your life to save theirs. It's a very emotionally vulnerable position to be in. Yes, they drive you insane occasionally (as I'm typing this, Boston is screaming at me for more strawberries). Still, I've decided that parenting is one of the best things in life, but probably only because I know it doesn't just end with this life. It's the potentially eternal nature of our relationship with these tiny people that makes the annoyance and the exhaustion and the pain in the meantime worth it. Don't get me wrong; my kids bring me a good amount of joy now, but I'm not sure it would be enough to cover the emotional vulnerability if I didn't believe that I could keep them forever. I'm so happy that I can and I'm so grateful to be a parent.