{"id":2379,"date":"2011-08-20T18:51:00","date_gmt":"2011-08-20T18:51:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/?p=2379"},"modified":"2011-08-20T18:51:01","modified_gmt":"2011-08-20T18:51:01","slug":"a-sign-of-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/2011\/08\/20\/a-sign-of-love\/","title":{"rendered":"A Sign of Love"},"content":{"rendered":"
I haven\u2019t taken many vacations without my children, but whenever I do, the same unsettling feeling overcomes me before I leave.<\/p>\n
The last time I got the feeling, it prompted me to write detailed letters to each of my children, which I described in one of my most popular posts, \u201cMore Than I Love You<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n This time, the unsettling feeling stuck me just as I was zipping up my suitcase at 5:30 a.m. on the day of departure.<\/p>\n There was not enough time for me to sit down and type them a lengthy note explaining what it was about each of them that amazes and inspires me.<\/p>\n As my husband carried my bag out to the car, I ran to the junk drawer in our kitchen, (you know, the one where you reach in and there\u2019s 1,000 pens but only one that works?), and grabbed two brightly colored Post-It notes.<\/p>\n In big letters I wrote the words that I had whispered over and over to the girls as I held them in the sacred comfort of my arms the night before.<\/p>\n I love you.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n It\u2019s the three words you always want to leave someone with, especially if somehow your plans to come home are tragically diverted.<\/p>\n With the completed notes stuck to my fingers, I quickly surveyed the room searching for the spot that two people of short stature, but with observant eyes, would never miss.<\/p>\n Ah ha. The fish tank. Their morning ritual is to sit on the ottoman in front of the fish tank and make sure everyone lived through the night.<\/p>\n Satisfied my daughters would not miss the hot pink and green notes covering the home of Snowy, Orange-O, Stripey, and Mr. Froggy, I closed the door behind me.<\/p>\n