My Smiles

The things that are making me smile--

-Matthew has begun to play with the toilet paper on the roll.  We will find it all over the floor and into the hallway.  I love seeing him doing something so typical.  And he's been doing a lot of little typical kid things these days-- like getting on his tip toes to look into drawers and shaking his head 'no' when we tell him it is bedtime.  Every time it makes me smile.

 -Jackson was riding home in the back seat of the car last week and he made my heart melt, and then laugh out loud in a matter of seconds. He says "I love you" (Ahhhh), pauses and finishes his statement "grappling hook" (Oooh).  He does love his grappling hook, which is just a bungee cord but he connects it to his jeans like a grappling hook from Star Wars.  Now Darren and I will randomly say "I love you, grappling hook" and smile.
-We took Alyssa and Jackson to see Star Wars Episode 1 at the movie theater, and Jackson almost fell out of his seat laughing at the trailer for the upcoming 3 Stooges movie.
-Alyssa's softball team is a bit hard core for 6 year olds in my opinion, with 3 practices scheduled last week. But I do love watching her out in the field, glove on hand, softball ready.
-Yesterday Jackson came downstairs after quiet time with pen lines all over his face, arms, and belly. When I quizzed him about them, he told me he was drawing his bones.   

-Darren's been running, and running, and running the past few weeks in preparation for the March 3 marathon.  I've been especially impressed that he can run 20 miles and can still take on the rest of the day without complaint of aches. Very impressive.

And making me smile, reflect, and rejoice-

-Matthew's 2nd birthday is in 5 days!  Many times I feared that we wouldn't see his first birthday and here we are almost to his 2nd!  Thanks be to God!