Sweet Sugar Kisses

I put Taylor (9) and Lily(4) down for bed tonight. They gave me sweet sugar kisses goodnight and snuggled up close as I sang soft songs to put them to sleep.


Taylor rested her head on my chest and said, "I love you Aunt Tiff". I kissed the top of her head and rested my cheek there wishing I could protect her from any, and everything, that would ever harm her.

Little Lily fisted one hand, and tucked it up under her chin, the other hand she took and put on my face. With her thumb and forefinger resting on my lips, she strummed the other three on my cheek keeping rhythm on an invisible instrument as I sang.

I lay there with both girls in my arms, in the stillness of the dark room, listening to their breathing as they began their nights journey to sleep. It's such a short trip for the little ones compared to we adults. They don't lay there worrying, or working, in their mind chasing sleep from their night.

Lily's hand spread up over my cheek as her little nose rested under my jaw, her breath softly warming my neck as she yawned and sighed. Her little body moved with those micro twitches that precede complete surrender to sleep.

My soul recognized this peace from days so long ago in my youth. It wanted to capture the moment to save and replicate somehow for days in my future, days that I know will tax me to extreme limits, and days when people will come in and kick the furniture of my soul, rudely and without permission.

As I slipped away from these two slumbering angels, little pieces of my heart stayed behind to weave their way into the security blankets of these precious sweet girls.