K-I-S-S-I-N-G

I don't know quite how it all started, but my kids are very interested in kissing at the moment.  While Marc and I were in Haiti, Ava watched our wedding video with my mom and seemed most taken with the kiss.  In fact, she says things like, "Can we watch your wedding video so I can see when you kiss, Papa."  She also seems to think kissing results in babies and though I won't let her believe this forever- she's 6.  I am perfectly content with the conclusions she's drawn.  I answer the questions she asks and that's it for now.  I am starting to suspect the wedding video kiss is in her mind the origins of HER. ;)

She finds it hilarious to squeal, "gross!" when Marc kisses me and then anxiously waits for him to kiss me again.  We are having great fun with it.  He'll waltz in to the kitchen, dip and kiss me and she laughs hysterically.  Yesterday we did this funny, "mmmah, mmmah, mmah" kiss just to make her laugh harder.  Phin reaction, however, was the best, a knowing sweet smile and "That was great guys."  They love to get sandwiched in our hugs and be showered with kisses themselves.  I've always been told, and I believe, that a good marriage is vitally important to children, but right now, I feel like I am FEELIN' it from my kids.  They really delight in us loving one another.  They LOVE when Marc asks them, "Do you know why I am the most blessed man in the world?" or "DO you know who the most beautiful women in the world is?"  They yell with delight, "MOMMY!" every time.  Yesterday I couldn't help thinking, "this is the life"....I get to kiss the most handsome man in the world anytime I want and love on the world's most amazing kids.  My ears are full of little kid laughter (certainly one of the best sounds God created) and my heart is overflowing.  Thankful, I am;)

At this very moment, however, Phin and Chloe are playing potato heads.  They are playing so cute together so I started just watching them and was about to get the camera when I realized the potato heads are Marc and I today....and they keep kissing them.  LOL.   It is sweet, grant it...but I wish they would have picked Barbie and a Rescue Hero to play our parts.  I knew it was time to start Weight Watchers again...but I was hopin' to finish the Halloween Candy first;)

Thankful for Thankfulness

In November, we keep a Thankfulness Journal leading up to Thanksgiving.  Every night at dinner we go around the table and say something we are thankful for that day and record it in our journal.  It's fun to look back and see what we were thankful for in past years, too.  For a mama, it's fun to see how children grow into truly understanding gratitude.

This is Chloe's first year participating and she has surprised both Marc and I by giving a different answer every night.  Last night she was thankful for "taking a bath", the day before "puppies and toys".    Each little answer warms my heart.

Phineas is sharp as a tack, but he's also loyal;)  Last year, almost every day he was thankful for a different Toy Story toy- "my lots of Mr. Potato Heads" or "Buzz", this year he is more eloquent but still thankful for a different Toy Story toy almost every day.  (He's also been packing for college for over a week now and "only taking Woody...and maybe my new Buzz, cuz he's new.  I'll put the broken one in the box for storage and take the new one."  He defines fanatic when it comes to Toy Story, but we let his answers be his at this point.  Toy Story truly gives him great delight each and every day, so if he wants to be thankful for them each and every day- fine by us;)  It isn't a lazy answer, he is thrilled to share it every night;)

Ava has REALLY warmed my heart this year.  She is LOOKING for things during the day she can be thankful for.  It's really the whole point of the exercise, to be grateful not just on one day, but realize we have so much to be thankful for each day.  I love picking her up from school and hearing, "Tonight, I might say I am thankful for getting really good at jump roping or maybe that E and are are really working at being better friends to each other."  Precious.

Last night, however, Ava's answer almost brought me to tears.  We'd played "Mariokart" as a family- well, Chloe and I were cheering last night while Marc, Ava, and Phin played.  It was only about 10 or 15 minutes, but it was fun.  When we sat down to dinner, her answer was spontaneous, heartfelt and is now tucked safely away in this mommy's heart.  She said when it was her turn, "I am thankful for Family Fun stuff, like just how we spend time together."

I'm cherishing these days...these precious days.  I'm thankful too, Ava, very thankful.