If you are familiar with Gary Chapman’s book The 5 Love Languages then you will not be lost when I tell you that Elaina’s love language is quality time.

Elaina loves spending time with just Julie or me. Anytime one of us plans on staying home from any activity she is sure to ask to stay home with us. One of her most favorite activities currently is cuddling up with me and watching the cheesy British scifi show Doctor Who. It isn’t because she just loves cheesy scifi (although I hope she does because I do too). I’m pretty sure the reason she wants to watch is because she knows I like it and no one else in the house does. When she invites me to watch it is because she just wants some one-on-one time together. After each show we take just a minute or two to decide if the show as a good one or dumb. We really have a great time sharing this show.

Of all my daughters Elaina has always been the biggest daddy’s girl. Years ago she called me “Baw Baw”. She would walk up to me, look me in the eyes and say: “Baw baw, I love you.” Regularly she still grabs Julie’s cell phone and send me text messages expressing her love. When she was four she would grab the cordless phone and call me while I was at work and ask: “Baw baw when are you coming home?” She did this for weeks before I found out that Julie had no idea she was doing it.

Elaina is a very affectionate and loving person. She is always ready to give me a hug the minute I walk in the door of our home in the evenings. Many times she will just jump into my arms and I have to try and catch her, which is getting more difficult these days.

1 Corinthians 13:13

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.