Feeling Blessed

We had a perfect day today. Or as perfect as they come when you still have to work. Our good friends Kris and Lynn suggested we meet them at a local park after work for playing and a picnic and we took them up on their fantastic idea! I got out of work 30 min early, picked up Donovan, swung home to change and gather some things and jump in the car with Daddy and Reese. Then we picked up some food at the grocery store and headed to the park. The kids were in heaven! Donovan was running around and bravely trying everything on the playground like I had never seen before. Kris and Lynn's daughter Penelope must have thought he was crazy. Reese spent the first 20 minutes in the swing. She goes into a toddler coma of happiness in the swing. Donovan was never that much of a fan of swinging. But Reese, she could do it all day. After 20 min we drug Reese kicking and screaming out of the swing and had a lovely picnic. Reese ate her weight in grapes and everyone had a great time. Donovan showed Penelope how to play "fris-beef" and the adults even got to finish their food without speed eating. What a shock!

After that we headed to the lake and fed the fish and geese. The kids were adorable and had a great time. Next was more playing on the playground where Donovan met a girl friend named Cali. He followed her around and thought she was great. So much so that when we left, he ditched us, and ran ahead to walk to the car with her as she was leaving at the same time. We hit Fritz's for some ice cream afterwards and luckily for Donovan, so did Cali and her family. Donovan didn't even sit with us at our table with Kris, Lynn and Penelope! He was so obsessed with Cali, insisting he wanted to sit next to her, that we asked her grandparents if he could sit with them. They were lovely people and of course were very welcoming with him. So there he sat, talking with Cali and her family. Cali's grandma said, "I am surprised how friendly he is." Kid knows how to turn on the charm. When we left he hugged her. It was pretty cute. Don't know how Penelope feels being stood up but I think she will forgive him.

I did not take a single picture but Lynn took lots so hopefully I will get some from her at some point. It was such beautiful weather, spent with my family and close friends, having a wonderful time. Nights like these are what makes life so wonderful. I need to remember these nights for times when we feel crummy, or the kids are being fussy or the weather is gross. Nights like these will give me hope of more great ones to come!

The other part of tonight that made me really happy was prayers with Donovan. For several months now whenever I put Donovan down, or snuggle with him before bed, I say prayers with him. He folds his hands and closes his eyes but he never likes to add anything. In fact, until 2 nights ago, he had only told me things he was thankful for on 2 occasions, and it was after I asked him too. Instead, every night when we pray I say "Do you want to say prayers Donovan?" and he says, "Yeah, I don't want to say anything." So he puts it out there right away that I will be doing the talking and he will not add anything. Well Saturday night right as I laid down, before I even suggested praying he says to me, "I want to say thanks for Jenna and Tyler". I was shocked! So he said "Thanks for Auntie Jenna and daddy's friend Uncle Tyler". I about cried. They were both over hanging out so of course I had to tell them they got the first shout outs ever (the other things he had said thanks for in the past were objects, not people). Then last night, after hanging out with my parents and my side of the family he said "I want to say thanks for Auntie Jenna, and Grandma and Grandpa, and Aunt Jody". Surprised again!  So tonight when I went to bed he said, "I want to say thanks for those two girls. What were there names?" Now I knew exactly who he was talking about but I wanted to hear it from him so I said, "What two girls?". To which he replied, "Penelope and that other girl, what was her name?" Of course he was talking about Cali, so I reminded him her name and he said, "Yeah, thanks for Penelope and thanks for Cali". Then I went on and said the rest of our prayer and at the end I asked him if we forgot anything and he said, "Yeah, and the 3 trains". We had seen three trains on the way home from school and he wanted to say thanks for seeing the 3 trains. It is times like these when I think, "I am doing something right! I am not raising a jerk! I am raising a lovely human being and I am so privileged to do so!".