connections.

Feels good to make stuff again. Glad to complete an assignment for LOM. :) We were to use photos that spanned time & make a connection . . . I even included a 1980 shot of my dh!

The journaling will be put on library cards & tucked in the pocket. It reads:

In October of 2006, I presented A. & S. with A.'s favorite childhood book of all time: The Digging'est Dog. I jotted a little love note inside the front cover and we cracked it open.

It became an instant favorite. We took it with us when we went on trips, and reached for it when there was time for "only one book." As A. read it to S. one while Mamaw rocked the little guy, it seemd the book had come full circle. She once read it until the book was worn to her son, who was now reading it to his son.

Soon S. was able to "read" it himself. He often snuggled beside Sascha, and read the story to her. Reading books to Sascha in the morning before breakfast became a bit of a routine in the summer months. At first Sascha would move to a new spot, but he would follow and follow and follow. She eventually gave up, realizing it was easier just to "listen" to the story than to have a toddler follow her around the house.

Then the girls came home. Reading is a staple in our house every evening and they quickly adapted to the new routine. Early on (perhaps even the first night), A. introduced them to his favorite book. It continued to be a nightly request for months.

Some of those first few bedtimes were a little tough. A. found himself reading The Digging'est Dog in the bedtime bedroom of each of his daughters. The sound of his voice while snuggling in his strong arms, with the words of a favorite story wrapping around them always soothed them.

The Digging'est Dog has earned a special place in the hearts of our next generation. Simple things like a favorite book seem so trivial. What started as a little gift to bring back memories from a childhood turned into something powerful. A book that was a daddy's favorite, used to comfort and delight his children, read over and over and over throughout the years will be a stronghold in their hearts long after the words are forgotten and they've stopped curling up in his strong arms. It will be these simple memories that will remind them of his constant love.