Each The Darlings

*Guest Post by D2*

The other day I took family pictures for a family with two children. Teenagers. One boy, one girl. It was a nice change to the little kids I'm used to. I didn't have to sing and dance or stand on my head to get their attention. A very nice change. I couldn't help but notice that they really were a happy family. A family that loved each other. Even so I also couldn't help but notice that the oldest, a girl, was the "darling" of the family. I came home and told my husband that I related. That I was that "darling." He laughed at me.

I'm not sure if I really was the darling. But I do know that my parents tried to make each of us feel we were mighty important. With just three children it's something I think about often. With four it could have only been harder. I can remember one Valentine's Day my parents asked each of us, without others around, what we wanted for dinner. I chose hot dogs with Ranch Dorritos. Of all the things I could choose. So we each held onto, what we thought was the secret, that we were the ones who got to choose what we all had for dinner that Vanetine's Day. While my parents prepared dinner we were ushered into our rooms to wait. We were all surprised to come out and find that they had prepared what we each requested. Four kids. Four dinners.

Like I said I'm not sure if I was the "darling" I just know that they worked to make us each feel special. Maybe we were all the darlings.