My Love of Poppins

So, for those of you who know me, you know that I love love love Mary Poppins. And not just the movie with Julie Andrews either - the books by P.L. Travers as well. But the movie is by far my favorite. And, there is a movie coming out this December called Saving Mr. Banks. And it just looks wonderful. Tony has already promised to take me to see it (thank you Tony!)

Ava first saw Mary Poppins when she was two and then any time she wanted to watch it, she would say, "Pop!" One of our Christmas card photos was taken with Mary & Bert at Disneyland. I have a Christmas ornament of the umbrella with the parrot as the handle. My sister gave me a print of a picture with items from the movie. I really do love Mary Poppins.

But the reason why I love Mary Poppins all has to do with why she comes into the home of the Banks' family - she came so that the father would understand that his children need him. I love at the end of the movie when Mary is leaving and the parrot on her umbrella handle tells her, "They didn't even say goodbye - you know (the children) think more of their father than they do of you?" Mary: "That's as it should be." I love Mary Poppins.

Now Ava loves her daddy a whole whole bunch, and oh, does he love her so much too. Even before Ava was born, Tony would sing to her "Stand by Me". And just after she was born, I woke up one morning and I could hear him singing it to her as he rocked her in his arms. She was just a few days old.

I love that Tony gets to be with his daughter every single day of her life. He is there for the breakfasts, the meltdowns, the band-aids, the smiles, the prayers - all of it. And that's as it should be.

-Emily