thankful...

(doing what aunties do best...)

Grace and Jacob

Mashed potato-nosed Joshua

one of about forty-seven silly face pics with Jacob

It wouldn't have mattered if I'd had the worst day in the world on Friday, because when I arrived to my brother's house I was greeted with a giant hug from Jacob in the driveway, another hug and slobbery smile from Gracie in the kitchen, and bashful smiles from blue-eyed Joshua.  It wouldn't have mattered because before I could even barely put my things down, we were reading mounds of books and playing with light-up yo-yos.  It wouldn't have mattered because I got to watch Grace and Joshua run/wobble as we all walked to the park and slid down slides and swung on swings.  It wouldn't have mattered because as I pushed Gracie on the swing, I watched her gently lay her little head back as though she knew she should soak in the breeze and the moment.  It wouldn't have mattered because I got to play hide-and-seek with three excited and adventurous kiddos who didn't even quite understand the game.  It wouldn't have mattered because my brother, sister-in-law and I stayed up 'til past midnight talking about everything and nothing.  It wouldn't have mattered because Saturday morning I got to get two sweet-faced babies out of their beds and start the day with more slobbery kisses and book-reading.  It wouldn't have mattered because we all had French toast and giggled in delight as syrup inevitably ended up on baby noses and heads.

I tell ya, kids have a way of making you forget about everything else for awhile.  And it's wonderful.