Tiny Tales Thursday...

"Hold you".

Two simple words.

One heart-tugging meaning.

I want to be held
I want to be loved.
I need you.
I love you.
I'm tired.
I'm scared.
I'm small.
I feel safe with you.

"Hold you."

All three of my kids have uttered this phrase more than I can count. They often said it on repeat until their wish was granted. And most of the times it was unless my arms were consumed by something else like all of their belongings, but even then, I would try my best to scoop them up, too. Because it is but a fleeting moment that "hold you" will be said.

I can't remember the last time Radley actually requested to be held. He has far outgrown that phase and I miss it. Thankfully he still likes to hold my hand.

Emmy requests to be held by me every night before she falls asleep.

"Hold you for 5 seconds, Mommy?"

The time requested varies from 2 seconds to 16 minutes and while she knows we don't actually keep time, what she is saying is...

I want to be held
I want to be loved.
I need you.
I love you.
I'm tired.
I'm scared.
I'm small.
I feel safe with you.

And Landry. Well, Landry is the most frequent requester of being held.

Every morning she wants to be carried from the car to the door inside her school. Not a second sooner. If I attempt to put her down early then I am met with the "my legs can't seem to touch the floor" tactic that parents every where know.

She will run in front of me and turn around arms wide open with "hold you, hold you, hold you!" on repeat.

And sometimes it's not easy. Sometimes my arms are full. Sometimes I am tired. Sometimes I just want to get to where we are going. Sometimes I think, "can you not just walk on your own?!?"

And then I remember that I too ask to be held. Through prayer or tears or fear or worry. We are all constantly asking to be held and carried by Him. We are all saying...

I want to be held
I want to be loved.
I need you.
I love you.
I'm tired.
I'm scared.
I'm small.
I feel safe with you.

And He never lets us down.

So I scoop them up. I hold them for 2 seconds or 16 minutes. I will carry them for a lifetime if they ask. Because they are mine. And all too soon they won't be running ahead to turn around and extend their arms... they will sprint off and not turn around and it will be us left standing there asking ...

"Can I hold you?"