Maggie Leu

Margaret Eveyln Leu, born September 18th, 2005.

Monday, July 23, 2007

Simba


We had to make the difficult choice to put Simba to sleep today. She was 13 years old and unfortunately in the chronic stages of kidney failure. I got her my senior year in college & she has been faithfully by my side ever since.

In the wake of her departure I reflect upon Maggie's relationship with Simba. Although it was brief, it truly was a beautiful friendship. It began with Simba really mothering and protecting Maggie as a baby. Simba would get so upset when Maggie would cry that I often found myself consoling both of them. Simba ALWAYS kept a close eye on Maggie and she was so quick to be on the scene if she sensed she was needed. I never had the heart to get upset with Simba when I would find her curdled up in Maggie's crib or on a clean laundry pile...because her heart was truly devoted to Maggie. And as Simba's illness progressed Maggie was always on the hunt for her 'Sim-Ma.' They would talk on the phone together, play 'nite nite' in her crib with Mono, share their snacks, and read stories together. They had an adoring and respectful relationship.

She in many ways was Maggie's guardian angel, and always always mine. May her soul rest in peace, may she frolic in the grass with her old pal Atticus, and may we continue to draw on her ever unconditional loving self as we move through this universe.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

My 34th Birthday


I spent the day with my Maggie, and it was a good day I must say! No expectations, just a day of looking through a window into my past & reflecting upon when I was her age...and all my birthday parties, the growing number of candles on the cake, and the monumental birthdays that allow for more liberities in this culture. I use to put more weight on my birthday, until Maggie. I think at this point all I want for my birthday is to relax & reflect...and for Maggie to have what I once did.

Innocence, the basic purity of it and the simplicity of it's action certainly brings me back to why children are our windows into our souls. It eliminates all that is negative & just brings about this wave of blissfulness. You cannot ask for a better gift than the gift of a child.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Tuning in the Radio


As Maggie runs around in her TUESDAY morning polka-dot undies (I am trying my hand at potty training finally), I am tuning in to all her words. I felt the sudden need to write them down before they become clear & before I slowly forget the beginning of it all. She is learning both Spanish & English, so there is certainly some fuzziness, and so as we wait for the 'radio station' to tune in clear...here are some of my favorites:


green = dean
blue = boo
towel = dowel
shock with maa-mee = rock with maggie
the sound of blowing a kiss = moo-woa
bravo = bra-o, bra-o
monkey = mono
keys = dE-esss
please = si (spanish for yes)
ride the train = ride choo-choo
soap = sou-P