After a few months, there was less resistance. I used to look at parents holding their young children in the grocery store. The little one was resting their head on their mother's shoulder with an arm wrapped around their neck. Total relaxation instead of the stiff body response we got when we hugged Lynda. I longed for that and the first time that Lynda hugged us back I was over the moon! She loved hugs and kisses both giving and receiving. She made a sound when she hugged. It was really cute. I looked forward to the day she let us hug her. I memorized the way her body felt as I held her. I did the same with each of my babies. You know those positions where little babies are on your shoulder with their bottoms up in the air....nuzzled next to your neck. That baby smell. The soft breathing. With a hyperactive child who seldom slept to have her fall asleep in my arms meant I was NOT going to put her down for fear of waking her up. I also relished every minute I could have her little body next to mine.
After about six months or so we found that when she ran ahead of us on the sidewalk, we could say "Lynda, come give me a kiss" and she would stop and run back to us and give us a kiss. It never failed. I can still see her grinning from ear to ear and that white hair blowing in the breeze as she ran back to us and gave us a hug AND a kiss.
Memories are similar to a slide show flashing one after another. This one is one that makes me smile. If I close my eyes and listen really closely....I can almost hear her say "Unh Unh" and feel those sweet hugs. Even after she had the stroke she patted our backs when we were walking together. In the hospital she patted our arms when all of the tubes and restraints allowed her hands to be free. Love doesn't have to have words. Lynda showed her love with a touch to both Russ and me right before we moved to hospice. Look at that sweet hand giving Russ a pat. Just incredible. Love never fails.
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