call my name

I stepped out of the shower this morning to the greatest surprise of my adventure thus far: Domino had come downstairs to play with me. She, unbeknownst to her mom, hustled down the stairs with her candy-cane striped pants dragging on the concrete while her midget hands hopped from fence post to fence post in order to support her descent. With her hands lifted and her petite voice repeating my name, she would not stop until she had my attention. So, as any tenderhearted soul would do, I hurried to finish the arduous process of looking beautiful and took to watching cartoons with her first, followed by a repeat viewing of "Happy Feet." We walked to the Library this morning for story time and wandered around the downtown Laguna Beach area, browsing the shops and, of course, dropping by Whole Foods to pick up some freshly baked bread.

This afternoon, while Melvil tumbled his way through his first gymnastic lesson, I played beachside tennis with Milan. Time and again he would call my name, wanting me to watch him nearly drown at the oversized white caps continuously attacking him. It was him and me. And, as has become routine, Milan whispered "Goodnight!" to me through his hidden bedside window as I was heading down to my room this evening. It's our little secret.

My words are unfortunately limited when I try to describe the overwhelming passion I feel every time I am with these children. They are like fresh linens to a king-sized bed, as sweet as a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, and as rich in spirit as a 7-layer Dark Chocolate Cake is in cacao. To watch their joy explode on the scene as they enter a room is a sight that I wish you could see firsthand. To hold their hand as they try to climb the stairs or play catch with them on the beach is all I need to be remind myself that I would not trade this moment in time for all the riches in the world.

There is nothing like knowing that you are wanted. I imagine that's how He feels when we honor Him. He is there to hold our hands, to play with us, to help us, to direct us, to listen to us, to mold us. It's an interesting thought to dwell upon, this idea that He is always here with me. There is no where that I can go that He can't hear me. There is no place that I can go that He isn't waiting for me. I need only to call His name.