Perfection

The other day Lily refused to nap. While Daisy played quietly with her dolls and Violet napped, Lily and I made our yearly batch of Apple Honey Challah bread. We watched the yeast dissolve into warm water. We kneeded the flour and salt to make a sticky dough, laughing as we made a mess with our tacky fingers. We peeled and chopped apples. We folded them into the dough. We watched it rise.

While the bread baked, I cleaned up the kitchen and the girls asked to paint. They pulled out the watercolors and paper and got to work.

A few minutes later Lily came into the kitchen to show me her painting. Lily loves art. She loves to color. She loves to draw. She loves to paint. She stands so still, and sticks out her tongue in such concentration. She says, "Momma, Look! It's finished." She holds up her masterpiece. She showed me the colors with a huge, beaming smile. I told her it was beautiful and asked if I could hang it on our gallery wall. "Yes, Momma. There," she says pointing to a empty clothespin.

She leaned over and and asked for a kiss. Of course, I oblige and as she did she said, "I love you Momma."

A missed naptime that resulted in a moment that made my heart sing.