Show Me The Moon!

When I was pregnant with Doodle, one of the things I really worried about was she and my Favoritest finding quality time to spend together.  Time where I was not involved, and wasn't giving my two cents.  Because my Favoritest and I were both working, this time sort of came about by default.  I had to be at work earlier than him.  So in the mornings I would get up, get ready, feed Doodle and then put her in bed with her daddy.  He had her until he dropped her at Ms. Judy's house.  Most days I skipped out the door (Doodle was not a pleasant infant), but there was a tiny piece of me that wanted to curl up in the bed with them and just stay there.  I am so glad that work made that impossible.  They needed that time.
When we moved to VA, it was really hard for my Favoritest and Doodle to find that time.  The long inconsistent hours of fellowship do not allow for a standing daddy-daughter date.  It bothered me.  I think my Favoritest was too exhausted to really miss it.  I tried to give them time together, but because I was shoving it down their throats, it wasn't the same.  I finally resolved that they would figure it out.  I couldn't be responsible for them having those moments.
Fast forward a couple of years.  As soon as the sun goes down Doodle starts asking "Daddy can take me outside and show me the moon?" It is often the first thing she asks him when he walks in the door.  She doesn't care if it is cold, or rainy, cloudy or clear, she wants to see the moon with her daddy.  I rarely go out with them.  I enjoy the few minutes of quiet.  When my Favoritest doesn't make it home before bed, they talk about the moon while they FaceTime.  She never asks me to take her out to look.  In the morning, Doodle looks for the moon and tells me about daddy taking her out to see it.  I think they both know it is about more than the moon.  Maybe I am being sentimental and sappy, but I think the moon is always there and makes Doodle know that daddy is there even if he's not a home.  It is something they can share no matter where they both are.  Someday my heart will break because she won't care about the moon any more.  When that day comes, I will have my sad attempt at capturing their special moment.

December 4 (135/365)