Lily is the most gentle child in the Ball household. I had no understanding of the word gentle before her. She taught it to me. 

When she was younger I’d invent pointless activities for her just to observe her mannerisms. One of my favorites was to ask her to run to a doorknob, touch it and then run back to touch my finger. She’d prance lightly over to the doorknob and poise herself on one foot like a ballerina. She’d pause to touch the knob so gently that it was almost not touched at all. Then she’d skip back to me, slow to a walk and then ever so softly press her fingertip to mine. It made me smile everytime.

Jack liked to join the game. He’d tromp to the doorknob, slap the door and then boogey over to me for a stout high five.

Lily is like a kitten curled up on a sheepskin rug purring next to a fireplace. That’s her life. You should see her take a bath. I’ve posted about that here.

The light from two banks of windows in our bedroom is hitting both of Lily’s soft cheeks. It is creating what I used to consider the ultimate portrait lighting: Double edge lights.