you can always stay....

The other night Katelyn came out of her room when I thought she was already asleep and we had this conversation:

kate: Mom, I have to tell you something.

me: okay.

k: Can I still stay here when I get big?

(At this point I remembered the conversation we had when I was putting her to bed. I told her she was getting so big, she's almost 4! and asked her if she could just stay little for me. "Do you have to get bigger?" I asked her. She said "yes, we have to keep getting numbers!" So funny. Anyway I knew where her question was coming from.)

me, grabbing her up in my arms: yes, of course! You can always stay here with me! You will always be my girl, I love you so much! etc. etc......Well, until you get married and then you get to live with your husband and have your own family.

k: And you can come to my wedding reception.

me: I'm coming to your wedding, girl! I'll be right there in the temple with you and I'll be so proud of you and happy for you to get married in the temple. But until then you can live here for as long as you want.

k: Oh, like Grammy and Grandpa Jamie have their kids still living with them?

me: yeah, like Aunt Melissa and Aunt Jenae.

k: and like Uncle Donny, he came back from his mission and he's still living there. (I think this was important for her to know, that he had gone away and could still come back)

me: yes.

k: and when I get married I can visit whenever I want.

me: yep!

Then I put her back in bed smiling and reassured.

It was just so cute and I wanted to remember it. Although at some point I might go back on the "you can live here as long as you want" part. She should probably move out by the time she's 35. :)