I.E.O.

I am in New Orleans on a little weekend stay-over with my husband and my 8 year old niece. The trip is more for her than anyone else. My brother and his wife are coming in tonight and we will be doing some fun things with her tomorrow, like going to the Zoo, the Aquarium of the Americas, Imax, etc. There has been much shopping and many purchases made on our trip so far, and I think that’s what prompted me to have the dream I had last night.

On occasion, I have longed to be able to go back in time and have one more day with my children as babies or toddlers. I especially feel this way when I look through their baby albums. I realize just how fast that time went by and I miss all the sweetness of those day. As bad as I may ache to hold them or rock them one more time, I know that it is impossible. And then I am reminded once again that, through God, all things are possible. He fulfills my desire in the form of a dream. And last night I had one of those dreams.

My daughter was approximately 3 or 4 (in my dream). There was sooo much cuteness going on - her porcelain-like complexion, sea-blue eyes, and blond bouncy ringlets. We were on a little get-a-way and my dad, her granddad, was with us. She was insistent on buying toys or souvenirs and teasingly my dad asked her if she had any money. When she said no, he would tell her (again teasingly) that he would get it for her, but she would need to give him an IOU. This went back and forth between the two of them several times. At the end of my dream and in parting with my dad, I instructed her to give him a hug and to thank him for all the gifts.

She ran to him, threw her arms around his neck, squeezed tight, and in the squeaky little voice that I fondly remember said, “Thank you, pappaw for all the I.E.O.’s!”

SUCH A SWEET DREAM AND SUCH A SWEET GIRL!!!!!