Small Milestones

Yesterday, Mason and Kira both lost a tooth. This morning when I was reading The Lorax to Kira she looked up at me and smiled. Her two front "beaver teeth" are coming in finally. It occurred to me that she lost both of those after Mike died. He never got to see her with big girl teeth. For a brief second I was crushed. But then I giggled to myself.

I remember when Mason started growing his in. Mike and I giggled about that tiny little boy with those ginormous teeth poking out of his gums. They seemed so big in his tiny mouth...much like Kira's are now. I know for a fact he would tell her she was beautiful regardless. The teeth made her even more so.

It's the tiny little things that happen everyday that I wish he could share. They are getting so big. He's been gone six months and so many things have changed. It's been about the length of one of his deployments. I remember him coming home from his trips and noticing how much they grew in that time.

 I take comfort in knowing he's watching them grow. We can't see him. He can't tell them how proud he is or how much he loves them but we know.

Yesterday Kira brought her progress report home. She got all perfect marks. She's at or exceeding all areas. I could only look up to the sky and smile. The bottom of the report said for parents to sign and return. It's only my signature now but I know he nodded in approval. Of all the things he was proud of his kids gave him such joy. I miss the way he looked at them. 

It's all the little things that really weren't little at all.

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