Free Hugs

It has been almost two weeks since my last post, and it feels like months! Probably because I wrote several of my entries before leaving for Burning Man, and then had them post while I was gone... so it's really been even longer since I last wrote.

Well, for now I'm not going to update about the trip, because it will take too long. Instead, I'll share about Ethan's latest cutest-boy-in-the-world move. He figured out that he loves hugs, and started hugging us back, complete with patting the shoulder and giving a sort of soothing "ohhh" or "hmmm" while he wraps his arms around you...

But the absolute sweetest thing of all was when he started walking towards us, arms outstretched, saying "Ug, ug!" until one of us hugged him. He'd hug me first, then Joel, then hold onto me with one arm and reach out for Joel with the other, saying "Ug, ug!" until we shared a group hug together. Yesterday he had us hugging for something like ten minutes straight; it was awesome. How is this boy so brilliant, that he knows something as simple as a hug (or even a hug marathon) can be so healing, so purifying, so miraculous?