this little piggy went to the east coast for a week.

over the summer liam went on his ten-year-old trip.

growing up we each looked forward to a big "ten" trip with an unaccompanied plane ride and matt and i really wanted to continue this tradition. i remember feeling so old and so ready when i was ten. putting my baby on a plane shined new light on those memories. and new light on liam. he's really big.
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for the first time his individual story really branched. he wrote his own chapter without mom and dad. and i still don't even know all of what he wrote. (have you ever tried to have a long conversation with a ten-year-old on the phone? shhessh.) but i kind of think it was the best thing ever for him.
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he went to stay with a family we know and love that lived on the east coast. he got to watch the way they structured their home and how they treated one another. here, he's the oldest. there he was the youngest.

when liam returned i could tell he mourned the loss of that family. he grieved about his sibling relationships. he expressed a longing to be treated more kindly by his brothers and demonstrated a resolve to show them more love. showing love is really hard for liam.
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here's a funny long-distance phone moment we had... after much awkward question asking/one-word-answering...

me: okay honey, i love you.
liam: (silence)
me: i love you, babe.
liam: good.
me: what do you say back? i love you, liam.
liam: me too.
me: say it back, silly.
liam: (silence)
me: i'll say 'i love you, liam' and you'll say, 'i love you too, mom.' okay. 1, 2, 3 i love you, liam
liam: (awkward giggle) iloveyoutoomomBYE

click.
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since his return we've had some great conversations about building the kinds of family relationships he saw on his trip. they just loved each other openly and he wanted that, but didn't know how to start it.

and you know what?

when we walk he holds my hand now. plus he kissed me at his school today. right on the mouth!


so if you ask me if i think it was a good idea to send a ten-year-old all the way across the country by his lonesome...i'll blow you a kiss. and if you need an idea of a destination think of the most loving family you know and give them a call. they will say yes because that's how they are.

(ps, what do you think of the little piggies who stayed home?)

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