Hi,
This is Carrie.
I know you're in bed,
Or maybe you're just getting into bed.
Get yourself comfortable.
This is your time to just relax and listen to my voice.
And I'm here to remind you of how special you are.
How you are loved.
And so as you get cozy in that special bed just for you,
I want you to listen to the words I'm going to say to you.
To remind you how special and loved you really are.
And,
These are a few of the things I used to say to my children when they were little,
Just to remind them how special they really are to me.
And so I will share these words with you,
Because you are special to me too.
And so I would say to my daughter,
I love you.
And she would say back,
How much?
Oh,
So much.
How much is so,
Mom?
And I would say,
Way,
Way more than you know.
And she would smile and laugh and giggle.
And I would say to her,
I love you as brilliant as each twinkling,
Sparkling star.
And as way out as space.
I love you that far.
And then she would say,
I don't know.
Tell me more.
And I would say,
Oh,
Sweetie,
I love you as gigantic as a great lion roars.
And as deep as the ocean.
Oh,
Sweetie,
I love you much more.
Is that a lot?
She would ask me.
But how did it start?
Where did love come from to be in your heart,
Mommy?
And I looked at her with such love in my eyes.
You sweetie,
You put it there.
Really you did.
When you and I met and I knew for certain without you,
Oh,
I just don't know what would be.
I mean,
I love you from your head to your cute little toes.
I love your dimples and your little button nose.
And now that love I have for you,
It is so deep and so wide.
In fact,
It's enormous like an elephant or a gigantic slide.
You know,
Really,
It's hard to describe how much I feel for you inside.
I love for you is so awesome.
Like a rainbow that soars across the sky.
I love you that high,
That deep and that wide.
My daughter asked,
Do you love me every day?
Do you doubt my love when I'm angry or frustrated or screaming with rage?
Oh,
Sweetie,
My love you.
It doesn't change like the temperature of the days.
It's a certain kind of thing,
You know,
In many,
Many different ways.
I love the special things we do.
Just me and you.
How we hang out with each other.
We have a snack.
We even snuggle and watch TV together.
We laugh and we enjoy those times we share.
Just you and I.
I really,
Really love you when you're by my side.
Do you love me just the same when I'm far away from home?
Is your love for me still the same if I decide to roam?
Oh,
Yes,
I love you,
Sweetie,
Whether you are near or far.
I will love you even when you travel to the stars.
I love you wherever you go.
You're always special to me.
You're always in my home.
Home?
What does that mean?
Oh,
Heart is where the home is.
And that's where you live inside of me.
In my heart.
Right here.
And you see.
And when I'm sick,
Mommy,
Do you still love me when I can't get out of bed?
Do you love me better when I'm healthy?
Or when there's a fever stuck in my head?
Oh,
Sweetie,
I say.
I love you when you're sick and when you're healthy.
You are always my number one forever.
My love never changes.
Ever.
And she hears those words.
She feels those words.
And she knows them to be true.
Because I can't imagine life before you came along.
To me,
There was no meaning to my song.
You are my song.
But I just want to sing and share it with the world of how much you mean.
Call it meant to be or simply blessed.
But you,
Sweetie,
You fill my heart with so much love that it overflows.
And for that,
I celebrate you.
I celebrate love.
I celebrate life.
And as we snuggle next to each other,
As she lies on her bed,
Her eyes heavy,
Her breathing slowing down,
Just like yours.
She softly whispers to me,
I love you,
Mommy.
And I ask,
How much,
Sweetie?
She yawns so much,
Mommy.
How much is so,
I ask.
And she smiles and says,
Way,
Way more than you know,
Mommy.
And she drifts off to sleep,
That deep,
Wonderful sleep,
Warm in her bed,
Feeling so safe,
So cozy.
And she sleeps,
That deep,
Sound sleep.
Night,
Night,
Night,
Night.
