Live a pure moment

Do you remember? Remember that time before Talia started her real decline, right around Chanukah when we ate a great dinner and all sat around playing Uno together? Nathan chose the game. Audrey dealt, proudly counting out each card. Daddy settled in and even Mommy wanted to play. Talia sat in her bouncer, quietly at first just watching the action. Remember how she started laughing, unprompted, finding hilarity in something-the bounce of the seat, the light in the room, the love of her surroundings. Remember how Mom placed her cards down and picked Talia up, cautiously as to not startle the laugh away, and it worked because she just kept giggling. She laughed hysterically at the sound of the cards rifling through our hands. Chortled at the silly noises we made in her ear. Delighted in the puffs of air we blew in her face. She smiled fully at the hugs Audrey gave her.  Her laughter was long, deep and full bodied. Remember the smile on your mom's face-so full it almost broke her, tears held away by the thinnest of margins. We didn't pick up a camera to capture it. We didn't want to spoil the moment- but we know the future enough to have made a mental marker of each smile. We wanted to live in that moment forever. Warm and safe in the company of each other. In the family we made, in the moment of pure love.