Ava has been intrigued by 'where we come from" or as she so eloquently puts it, "who made me (or mommy, or daddy, etc)?". Typical "children" questions that require tact and finesse on the part of the parent when answering.
Lindsay and I have approached this inquiry with a simple answer to the "who made so-and-so" question...our response has been, "God and 'this-and-that person'". For example...
"Who made Mommy?" asks Ava.
"God, Gramma, and Grandpa," replies Michael or Lindsay.
"Who made Daddy?" Ava continues.
"God, Yiayai, and Pappou," we tell her matter-of-factly.
And so it goes, Ava runs the course of our family history, interrogating us repetitively. Sometimes I can hear her under her breath reciting who made whom...of course, God is always the first name she speaks.
Recently, however, her questions have gone a bit deeper, Our four-and-a-half year-old is taking it to the next level. After confirming who has made whom she has now begun asking the "how" question.
"How did God, 'so-and-so', and 'so-and-so' make 'whomever'?" she ponders aloud.
My response..."With love".
She was satisfied. For a brief moment.
I knew it was coming but I was hoping maybe her silence was going to be a moment that would turn into some sort of distraction, taking her mind and thoughts elsewhere. Not the case. She persisted with the next logical question.
"How does the love make people?" she questioned with a tilt of her head and rise in her voice.
I looked at her; the beautiful eyes she has locking on my face; her expression seeking an answer; her silent patience surrounding us while I sorted through my mind's arsenal of words to use.
With a smile I said, "Love makes people through laughter, talking, hugs, and kisses. Love is what we bring to each other."
She smiled at me and went about her business.
Lindsay and I are fortunate people. We have each other. We have our respective families. We have our respective and shared friends.
We are fortunate in another way as well. We have our children. Three beautiful people who love us unconditionally. Three exquisite personalities that fill our house with energy. Three gentle souls that bring to us the innocence of childhood.
Our days are filled with Ava, Henry, & Ella. Our lives revolve around their care. Our hope and perseverance is fueled by their existence.
Our lives are filled with laughter, talking, hugs, and kisses...the "stuff" that made them is coming back for us.
