Listen...Listen..Try to hear their SONG.

It is 11:43 in the PM. Our day was filled with all the usual happenings. We never left the house today. I love those days. Don't get me wrong, I am always up for an adventure, but I crave home most as our daily routine is best kept when we just stay put.  I have a good friend who recently sent his daughter off to New York to pursue her dream of singing on Broadway.  Her angelic voice filled their home daily.  He told me that she woke up singing, left the house singing, and walked in the door singing.  When she left for college, he shared that he went through a depression.  The void of her and her voice left their home so incredibly empty.  I think of that story often.  My days are filled with their "singing" all day long.  I don't mean their actual singing.  I mean their ordinary gifts that fill my day with such a presence that I am terribly afraid that when they are gone, I will be like my friend Rob.  I have grown so accustomed to their variety shows that I pray I don't miss the songs that fill the whole day. 

Lillie's constant Riverdance.  She loves Irish Step dance.  She dances and taps all day.  She stands across from me on the opposite of the counter and taps all day long.  I see just her body, but I hear her feet going. 

They practiced and practiced.

I already get a lump in my throat with this child.  His presence is a beautiful song in our home.  He spends hours at the piano filling our home with Mozart and Beethoven.  I wake up each morning to him practicing the piano.  His beautiful spirit, helpfulness, and generous heart inspires us all.  He delights in cleaning the kitchen for me during nap time and is back to baking since giving it up for Lent.  I love his constant scribbling on random scrap papers regarding Hobbit tidbits.  I love seeing his green notebook that contains the story he is writing. 

The only thing that would make this picture more fun is about 8 more baskets.  My brother-in-law has 16 children in his family.  I love looking at our 8 baskets...imagine 8 more.  I couldn't stand the fun of it all.  We delight in the fun of surprising each child with the special touches that make them feel important to us.  I love Easter baskets. 

Does he look like he needs anything else to eat? 

Chubby Bunny contestant.

I love the view from the kitchen.  I love seeing a little body playing on the carpet.  He stills seems like a newborn so why is he now sitting in the family room mouthing all the toys within reach?

No amount of wording with suffice in trying to explain how funny this is.  She rides this horse like  a real horse and if she has been taking lessons for about 5 years now.  I wish I could tell you how quickly she moves about the house on her horse.  Her legs go so fast and that poor horse tries to sustain her body weight. It is so awesome.  My only daily regret is that I don't see her do it every time.  When I see that horse somewhere in the house, I am sad that I missed a daily ride by Chancho.  It makes me giggle at night.  
This child.  She is something else.  John jokingly calls her FTJ. (Full-Time Job).  She needs someone watching her 48/7.  She loves mischief, but with her adorable eyebrows it is just a pleasure to find what she occupies herself with. We never find her doing anything normal.  She loves raiding the pantry.  Her current favorite is to grab and sprint into the piano room with a pudding.  She knows she has to move quickly so she hides by the piano and jabs the top of the pudding with a pencil and eats the pudding with her quick jabs.  We find her coveting the pudding which now sports several holes poked in the top.

Oh Clairvaux.  This was her best smile.  Her llama teeth are clenched so tight from trying to smile pretty. She is such a comedian.  She really can outwit John and I.  She belts it all day long. 

Sometimes, she doesn't even hold on.