feel good moment

you know what i love?

i love when i come home from being gone at a session, or anywhere, and i pull jeff’s car into the garage (i take his car as much as possible because its hybrid-my car doesnt fit in our garage, and its a gas guzzling beast-but i have four children and i need that beast thank you very much) and i turn off the car and sit for a second. and wait…

for the sound of eight little feet bouncing down the stairs

and the cries of “mommy is home, mommy is home!” from mckenna

and the garage door opening and all of them tumbling out to greet me.

and handing them my things because they all want to help me extract myself from the car.

and stumbling back into the house with four bodies as close to mine as possible.

and seeing my husband with a beer in his hand and a smile on his face.

i love that.

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44 Comments

  1. That happens to my husband every day. He has a very distinctive sounding car. So they can hear him pull up. Then, all 3 who are mobile (we have 4 kids as well) jet out the door yelling DADDY DADDY DADDY… except for the 2 year old who sometimes yells MOMMY because he gets the two terms confused for some reason. But, I find it extra special when it happens to me because I take a trip somewhere (like Wal-mart) without kids. It’s rare, and makes me feel extra loved!

  2. I love that feeling too! Where I come in the front door and practically get trampled and knocked over by the kids running to hug my waist and legs, while yelling “MOM, YOU ARE HOME”. Its almost like a “come save us from Dad, he does not tend to us like you do”. Even though he does a great job, it just isn’t mommy. :O)

  3. Mmm-hmm . . . love that – also love the updates I get on all that’s happened in universe since I’ve been gone — every important detail. “Mommy, GUESS WHAT????” I too sit in the garage for a moment . . . laughs! First time comment, big ‘ole fan of your work . . .

  4. i knew so many of you could relate.
    and amber-i think the tables will be turned when they are teens. ILL be the one running to greet them when they come home! happy they are home safe once again.

  5. OH I am a big fan of sitting in the car too..LOL but I am hiding. ;)

    I get the MUUUUUMMMMMMMYYYYYYYY as I head up the stairs after a shoot. Daddy gets tackled every night. Lucky guy! It is the one thing I miss about no longer working outside the house. The huge MUMMY!
    Enjoy it while it lasts! I am.

  6. I get more love when I head OUT the door… hugs, kisses, hugs again and then waves at the window and head peaks out the door blowing kisses. Sometimes frantic runs out to the car for another hug. I should leave more often, I always say. ;)

  7. okay…i’ve been reading your blog for months and love it, love it, love it. today i teared up a bit because, with 18 and 15 year old boys and an 11 year old girl, my days of being greeted with excitement at the door are past –the dog, however, still greets me quite warmly. i did get a text message today though from my 15 year old son that said, ‘i miss you and love u alot.’ i’ll take it. the way they love you changes for sure, but it is still so much fun. enjoy every day tara. something tells me you do.

  8. This week I found out I’m expecting my 3rd, and all week I’ve been a little shock and awed by it all because we were not expecting to be. The thought of three kids scared the bejeebies out of me. But all week I’ve been coming around (and now just reading your post) I can’t wait for that third pair of feet joining the other two to greet me at the end of the day.

    Love the new blog.

  9. you know what made me smile the biggest? that it’s *eight* feet, including the older kids. i love that. (my oldest still does that, too, and it absolutely delights me.)

  10. I want that. :) What a good mom you are to instill joy at your mere presence! I don’t have kids, but my puppy is always very happy to see me. Even if it’s only been 30 seconds that I’ve been in the bathroom…

  11. Ha! Lauren posted almost exactly what I was going to say. When my boys were teenagers they wouldn’t even say hello — if they needed money they might hold out their hands and grunt. One day they asked me why I liked the dog so much and I said, because when I get home the dog runs out and runs around the car barking because he’s so happy to see me.

    The next day, I had two tall teenagers running out to the driveway, jumping up and down, yelling “Mom! Mom!”

    Teenage years were tough, but at that moment I was pretty sure they were going to turn out ok :)

  12. this post just brought tears to my eyes, I am at the airport on my way home to see my son and husband and just reading your words just captured it for me. I am so excited to get off the plane and wrap my arms around my family..no feeling like it on the world.
    Thanks Tara for the post –

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