Jesus, Hode You!

September will be a month of writing for me. At least that's the hope. The goal? The plan. I have a lot to catch this bloggety-blog up on, I have a need to feel like a grown up, and I have no time to spare. Oh wait, that last thing actually is not in the pro column, but I've told myself that 10 minutes a day with my fingers on these keys is worth the sanity to my brain and the peace to my soul that it can bring. So wish me luck as I embark on this journey. I have a feeling I'm going to need it.

My 10 minute piece of the day:

I always thought my Mom was slightly exaggerating when she said my favorite toddler phrase was, "I do it!" but Quinny has taught me the truth in that tale. It seems that my eldest daughter and I are cut from the same cloth because if I try to put on her shoes, give her a bite of my treat or help buckle her into the carseat she shakes her head vigorously, scowls with pursed lips and says, while wagging her finger back and forth, "No! My do it." or "I do it." or "Stop it. Minnie do it." She calls herself Minnie. Actually, she calls herself Coco whenever someone asks her name, but when she remembers that she's Quinn and not Cora she calls herself Minnie. Confused? It's quite adorable and hilarious. All this to say that my Quinner is an independent little friend, as fiercely independent as they come.

But lately, Quinn is helping me remember that independent people need lots of love too. She wants to be held by James (always) and me (more than ever). She sits on T's lap when he gets home from school, she begs Ever for kisses, she walks with outstretched arms to friends in our congregation (and random men taking walks at the park), inviting them to pick her up. She asks me to put my phone down, to sing the "I love Quinny" song and follows me around the house like a duckling saying, "Mama. Mama. MAMA!" until I give her the attention she seeks and deserves. It's a lot to handle right now if I'm being honest. So many littles with so many needs that I often fear are not being met.

A few weeks ago I took the four littles to the Visitor Center on a Monday for Family Home Evening and Quinny was completely entranced with the Christus. While a group of Chinese tourists were listening to a lesson from the sister missionaries about the love of the Savior my Quinny ran to His feet, climbed up the base and repeatedly said, "Jesus, Hode you! Jesus, Hode you!" The Chinese friends oohed and ahed over the blonde pig-tailed beauty, and I beamed at the incredible scene before me. The missionaries message was powerful, but I couldn't help but think that my baby girl without the name tag really taught our lesson of love that night.

There are so many things that independent, capable and brilliant "Minnie" will be able to do all by herself in life, but when she does need help there may be times when her earthly friends fall short of fulfilling her needs. In those times, and at all times, I hope Quinn always knows that Jesus Christ loves her. He knows her personally and will never leave her side. Jesus will "hode you" through good and bad baby girl, He will always hode you.