You like me! You really like me!

We are luxuriating in a glorious stage of parenthood right now. Our daughters, at 6, have decided that they want to be near us, entangled with us, forever holding on to us, and heaping adoration at our feet.

I know how it sounds. You're wondering if this can be real, or you're waiting for the punchline to the joke. I know.

But it's true. Honest.

And we're loving it.

We've emerged from the battle zone that is twinfants and raising twin toddlers, and we're finally past the debacle of tantrums that defines "Twin Preschoolers".

We have schoolagers, albeit new ones. Still sweet ones.

It's a razor fine edge between them being cute and them being drama queens, and one misstep can sway the whole day in the wrong direction. But right now, at this moment, they want us. They are independent, or as much as one can be at 6 when the world is your own, if by "world" you mean "your house"; yet they still choose to be around us.

"Mommy, I just want to keep you," smiles Ashlyn as she wraps her arms around my neck in a tight embrace; my heart on my sleeve.

"Daddy, I will hold you tight so you're never afraid," declares Caedance as she attaches herself to her Daddy's leg; a curly haired attatche' case.

I know this won't last. I wish it would, but I know it won't. I know that the razor edge will continue to sharpen and it will be harder and harder at times to keep them on the friendly side of it. And I also know that is part of their growing up.

But right now we have them. And they have us. And, as it happens, they want to keep us. And I'm going to let them. For as long as they'll have us, (and long after they don't feel they need to anymore). Even then. We'll still love them. Always.

"Mommy, can I keep you forever?"

Oh my dear, I so wish you would.