It's all worth it

A few nights ago during dinner, my sweet boy and I had the following conversation:

child: "Mommy, I am going to live with you forever!"

me: "Oh God please no Someday you will be all grown up and have a house and family of your own, but maybe you will still live close to me."

child: "When I grow up, I am going to have my house right next to yours and build a bridge from my house to your house so I can visit you every day."

me: (can hardly see the child anymore because my eyes are welled up with tears. THIS is what makes all the hard stuff so totally worth it!) "That would be so nice, baby. That would be so nice."