Layers of Love

Every night when I tuck the kids into bed, I pull their blankets up to their chins and answer their last questions for the day. Tell them I love them. Say goodnight. And I bundle them up under layers and layers of memories and layers of love.

Shelly sleeps under a blanket that Nana made for me when I was 13, a quilt designed to look like me, a portrait of a girl with her legs crossed, sitting with a book in her lap. Next is a fleece blanket, one that I tied together, hoping it would keep me nice and warm through our long winters. On the very top is a purple bedspread from a friend, handed down to us when her own daughter grew up and moved away.

Elijah sleeps under a blanket made by Grandma Sue, just the perfect size for him. On top of that is a quilt that originally belonged to Archer, one we bought when we were carefully considering the finished look of a boy's room, a boy no longer a baby and now in his big-boy bed.

Archer sleeps under a quilt that belonged to his Grandpa Lou. Occasionally, on extra cold nights, he adds the red fleece blanket that has polka dots in white and green, the blanket given to us for Christmas a few years ago by Denise and Dan, with a note that the blanket would keep us warm after sledding outings.

David and I sleep under a beautiful quilt sewn by Aunt Penny for our wedding. It reminds me of that day when so many friends and family came together to help us create the perfect day. And so many people that have continued to support and love us through all the years of our family growing.

Everywhere I look in our home, in our lives, I see all these layers of love that surround and enfold us. They're there for us to share in the joys and share in the trials. What countless blessings we have!