Giggles are off limits...

THE LULU CHRONICLES

What I love about my life today:  Giggling Children. Tonight I watched my two-year-old grandson entertain his nine-month-old sister by jumping off the bed onto a futon mattress and turning a somersault into a cloud of pillows. As he flipped, he giggled which made Nellie Rose giggle, which made Cian giggle even more. He did this not once or twice but lots, over and over again. Nellie Rose giggled every time. Up until this point, Cian could take or leave his little sister. He woke up one morning nine months ago to find that he was no longer the baby of the family and was none too pleased about the new development. At best, he’s tolerated the new pecking order but had not embraced it… until tonight when he discovered she thought he was the best thing since breast milk. They giggled together until they gave themselves hiccups.

These days, giggles are hard to come by at the Cleveland house. Not much to laugh at when your liver is full of cancer. Yet, Cian and Nellie Rose weren’t the only ones giggling. It was infectious. You couldn’t be in that room and not feel your lips turn up into a smile and a giggle start to gurgle out like a huge bubble gum bubble.

Cancer cannot rob me of laughing babies and giggles. It just can’t. I won’t allow it. Giggles are off limits.

So, today I love the fact that I can still giggle. Even amongst the sadness I can still be surprised by joy. That must be close to a miracle or something don’t you think? I never would have thought that the mercy of God could be so profoundly demonstrated in the sound of a giggle.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me... and the giggle of babes will oft times do thy bidding." (The italics are mine) - Psalm 23 and then some.

Papa & the giggling Nellie Rose

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