Unconditional Love

I love reading "I Love You Through and Through" by Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak to Piper...

"I love you through and through.

I love your top side. I love your bottom side.

I love your inside and outside.

I love your happy side, your sad side,

your silly side, your mad side.

I love your fingers and toes,

your ears and nose.

I love your hair and eyes,

your giggles and cries.

I love you running and walking,

silent and talking.

I love you through and through...

yesterday, today, and tomorrow, too."

Unconditional love... its something so amazing that can't fully be understood until you look into the eyes of your child for the first time. You grow up knowing that your parents love you no matter what you do, but you can't fully grasp the enormity of that love until you experience it for yourself. You look into those little eyes, at their fingers and toes, and you instantly fall in love. Your heart melts with each giggle and each new word. Its a love that grows with each passing day.

Right now as I am just trying to keep my head above water and get through these "survival years" (as dubbed by a friend of mine - Jen), I am equally amazed at how reciprocated that unconditional love is. No matter how angry I get, or how many times I've flipped out over the food all over the floor, or how tired I get of changing the 100th diaper that day, or wiping hands and faces endlessly, they don't see my flaws and never fail to love without judging. (all of this will most likely change when they become teenagers, but for now I will enjoy it while it lasts) :)

Peyton, Parker, Piper, and Paxton, I will "love you through and through, yesterday, today, and tomorrow, too."

Tanya