I eat this because I love you...

This morning was a little unusual as I got my first call to sub. It was only 1/2 day so I wasn't rushing to get ready in the morning. However, we were having friends over for dinner and I still had to go to the grocery store and tidy up a little bit. As I was making my mental grocery list I was trying to get Ellie to tell me what she wanted for breakfast. She asked me if I would make her oatmeal. I sighed and quickly reminded her that my oatmeal never comes close to tasting as good as Daddy's oatmeal.Quickly I was reminded of the six months that we were away from Eric where I was often reminded that my "dishes" did NOT taste like Daddy's! :-) She promised me she would help me as she "has watched Daddy make it and knows how to do it."
I made the oatmeal and placed it in front of her. She tasted it, paused and said, "Hmmmmm, this tastes different!" I told her that I had warned that my oatmeal does not match Daddy's! She looked very serious and said, "Mom, Daddy's oatmeal tastes better but you do make good things! You make good toast!" I looked at her with a silly look and shook my head. Then she continued, "Also that dinner you made last night was very wonderful!" (It was mac and cheese ....the velveeta kind!) Then she finished...."And Mommy, I eat this oatmeal because I love you!" She continued eating it and assured me it wasn't "that bad actually!"
She was totally serious and bent on affirming me and being sure that I was loved and appreciated. Now, in all seriousness, I was not worried or insecure about my oatmeal! I gave up on trying to match his cooking a long time ago. I was, however, touched by her unsolicited kindness. Moments like these (in her case)sometimes seems so rare! I feel like I am always correcting, chiding, reminding, basically keeping her pinned down! Today reminded me that there is a sweet love in her heart that I must continue to nuture! It is totally in the seed stage, but I did see some sign of a sprout today!!! She ate my oatmeal because she loves me!