A lot of growing happened over the summer. My tomatoes, zucchini and peppers grew, but we lost the cucumbers, melons and sweet potatoes over vacation. The muscles on my teenager’s arms grew. My peace and strength in God’s plan for our lives grew. And, my little guys grew, to a point that has taken me by surprise.
They outgrew bedtime books with mom. 24 years worth of singing lullabies and reading books, gone as spring crept away and summer muscled in.
But don’t think I will let 23 years of time spent with ageless characters that meant so much to my sons and I go without fanfare. No! Starting with the first day of school, I will stack these precious books on their dresser, and we will climb into bed, saying good-bye to each one(not all books included in post), one evening at a time. Maybe the boys do not need a long good-bye, but I do.
It is time to say good-bye. . . for a little while.
Good-Bye Good Night Moon where “In a great green room. There was a telephone. And a red Balloon. And a picture of – The cow jumping over the moon.” Farewell! I’ll Love You Forever; I’ll love You For Always. No more will I become exasperated, asking, “Can’t you Sleep Little Bear? Because you will be worn out with each day. And there will be more room in your bed, snuggling with mom will become uncool – because your Beanie Babies, lions and tigers and bears won’t be there feeling like Ten in the Bed.
No more loving to the moon with toes climbing the wall from head-stands. No more hop, hop, hopping to see who can hop highest amidst a heap of giggles. But always loving me and each other to God’s beard and back! Oh, I hope so!
I will sit quietly, reading, wiping my tears on Lucie’s pocket-handkins laundered by Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and always wondering whether lettuces will make me “‘soporific'” like the Flopsy bunnies.
Knowing always that On the Day you were Born God whispered into my heart a secret about each of my sons: You are Special – to God, to me, to your dad, to Nanny and Grandmama, to your brothers, to your future wife, to your friends – I thought it important to say that Just in Case You Ever Wonder.
Maybe one day, a girl will ask, “‘Do you like my hat?” but no longer will you hear it from Go Dog Go. Remember that it is o.k. to say, “I do not live your hat.” Just do it nicely. Put The Cat in the Hat out? Is it possible? Yes, Garfield will stay around for a long time – a long, long time.
Aesop’s fables are real life lesson now, just little animal stories of ants, grapes, grasshoppers and foxes. Hopefully, you will remember the moral of the stories, too. I hope you are a “Boy Wanted” as Frank Crane described. We tried to make you so. We read you stories to teach you so.
The courage of St. George is buried in your heart to be born when you are called to the Slay Dragons you were created to slay. Choose your companions like the knight Cassidon – companions who will be With You All The Way. Because I love you, I have chosen each book with care and read with love.
Will you remember the odd November late afternnon slowly darkening. For over an hour we sat watching a squirrel hurry back and forth to his nest with nuts, while I rocked the littlest just a few months old, you sitting beside and another brother sprawled across the bed watching out the big window- watching the squirrel – Then the snowflakes started falling . . . and suddenly we understood. Our squirreel knew it was time for The Snow Trees to Grow.
These are books that say – oh, let Pooh say it, ” If there every comes a day when we can’t be together keep me in your heart, I’ll stay there forever.” You are never too old nor too wise to quote Winnie the Pooh, seek out a quiet place like the Hundred Acre Wood – or play a game of Pooh Sticks to help sort things out.
Each moment reading to you warmed my heart. Each moment said I Love You So Much.
. . . . Oh, stuff and fluff!
I never imagined bedtime snuggles and reading coming to The End.
Blue Cotton Memory 
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