Good-byes...Hello...

On March 16th I said Hello and squeezed my daughter as she came home on the train.

Springbreak!

Her smile fills my heart.

Her singing and piano music fill the air!

She sleeps in and sighs with contentment.

Too soon I'll have to say Good-bye when she heads back to school.

On March 17th, I said Good-bye to my baby girl as she flew to see her sister in California.

We skyped on March 18th as we celebrated their father's birthday. The girls wrestled and giggled and sighed over the paella they could see but not smell or taste.

Touring college campuses, she called me after each appointment with coaches and professors. "Do you feel like a grown up girl now?" I asked. "No. It's scary" she answered in a tiny voice.

When did she become old enough to look at colleges?

I look forward to saying Hello to her on Wednesday.

Later that same day, St. Patrick's Day, I said Good-bye to Danny.

I touched his hand and thanked him for teaching me to appreciate each birthday I celebrate as a true gift.

I think from now on March 17th will be called St. Danny's Day.

His smile is infectious and I look forward to saying Hello to him again in heaven.

And early on the morning of March 19th I hugged Saku Good-bye and wished her Godspeed on her flight home to Tokyo, Japan.

Though her program had ended, we offered for her to stay longer with us knowing the chaos of Japan.

"I have thought on it well" she said. "I need to return to my family."

And when she saw my tears, she said, "Japan is strong."

She is returning with a Japanese/English Bible. A gift from us after she had expressed an interest in reading about Jesus.

I hope to say Hello to her again someday.