"savor the now"

my favorite candy is the dove chocolates with the caramel in the middle.  back when i worked in washington, my friend harry got me hooked on the dove chocolates.  when they came out with the ones with caramel in the middle, well - lets just say it is a diet breaker.  i can't stop eating them.

anyway, the dove chocolates have a little inspiration quote in the wrapper.  this morning, the one i opened said "savor the now" and it made me think of what happened last night at bedtime.  in order to emphasize the significance of it, i need to tell a story about someone else first.

{*i love you*}

i actually don't remember exactly WHEN this happened, i just remember how excited my friend, emily, was when her son told her that he loved her for the first time.  i remember that we were at her house and she said to me "gabe told me he loved me today in the car!"  i remember that she was beaming with motherly pride and i couldn't wait to share it with her - since like most other mothers, it is probably the most-said statement in our house.   gabe is 9 months older than kendal so i often use his milestones to know what is in store for kendal and me in the upcoming months.  like, when gabe sang his first song.  and, when gabe moved up to his big boy bed, and when gabe went all day using the potty - i can't wait to share that excitement with emily too!

my "savor the now" moment:
last night i was putting holly to bed, and the way bedtime goes in our house is we all kiss her goodnight and then nathaniel or i put her in her crib.  kendal kissed her first, then nathaniel, and as i was rounding our bed to take her to her room kendal exclaimed "i love you!" to her.  how sweet is that?  he hasn't told me that he loves me yet (without prompting) but he told her last night. it just melted my heart.  i know he loves her, and it excited me to hear him say it.  i really think he knows what it means.