Total pages in book: 150
Estimated words: 146034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 730(@200wpm)___ 584(@250wpm)___ 487(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 730(@200wpm)___ 584(@250wpm)___ 487(@300wpm)
But sometimes all it took were a few special people to show you what it was like to be cherished and how fulfilling it was to get to cherish them back.
I was whole.
So full of joy that it was hard to process most days.
I aimed, snapping picture after picture as Ezra gently tackled Oliver onto the blanket that served as home base.
“I made it before you even got me because I’m so fast!” Oliver shouted.
“Dang it, I just missed you.” Ezra feigned a pout.
Owen came barreling in from behind and threw himself on top of them, and in an instant, they were embroiled in an unruly wrestling match.
Olivia couldn’t help but join in, too. “Doggie pile!”
Finally, Ezra shifted, sitting up and taking the kids into his arms. He muttered something under his breath, and all four of them shifted to face me.
Snap. Snap. Snap.
I couldn’t imagine anything more inspiring than this. Taking pictures of the people I loved most, even though I found a great amount of purpose in my new business.
A Moment in Time Photography.
As much as I’d liked working at the café, my spirit had always ached for something different.
And I loved it, getting to capture the most treasured moments of people’s lives.
And this moment, it felt like one of my greatest treasures as I caught every exuberance on their perfect faces.
Bright, bright light.
Belief.
My hope.
My heart.
Ezra whispered something in Olivia’s ear, and she climbed out of his arms and scrambled to her backpack that was sitting next to our picnic basket. She pulled something out and the boys hopped up, too.
“Miss Savannah, Miss Savannah, we got something special for you!” they sang as they came running my way. Olivia held onto a folded piece of paper that had a bunch of stickers on it.
My chest expanded. They were always bringing me notes, making me feel like the most important person in their world. “What do you have for me?”
Behind them, I saw Ezra slowly climb to his feet, those honey eyes covering us with warmth.
“You have to open it to see, but it’s the most special surprise, and I can’t even wait,” Olivia peeped. “I made it a really long time ago to save for the most important day.”
“Hurry, hurry!” both the boys shouted, pushing in close.
I peeked at Ezra who was slowly advancing, his big body filling my eyes.
That connection throbbed.
His spirit filling my soul.
My fingers trembled as I loosed the pink pieces of tape and unfolded the paper.
Inside, was another invitation.
This one inviting me into forever.
Will you marry our daddy?!?!
Heart stickers decorated every inch, and beneath it were three check boxes.
☐ Yes.
☐ Definitely.
☐ Absolutely.
Emotion raced and rushed and infiltrated every cell.
So beautiful I couldn’t speak.
I could only look to Ezra who’d dropped to his knee. All the kids rushed over beside him to do the same, and I pressed my hand to my mouth as my eyes bleared.
Olivia pulled a marker from her pocket. “Here, you have to mark your answer.”
I took it, and the laugh that bubbled out of me was saturated in bliss when I saw the ring that was attached to it, dangling from a pink string.
“What do you say, Savannah Ward? Will you marry me?” Ezra rumbled in that low, grumbly voice, the hint of a tease undercutting it. “You know my daughter has a way of getting what she wants.”
I gazed down at their sweet, eager faces.
At my life.
At my family.
At my forever.
And I took the marker and checked the box.
☑ Absolutely.