THINGS THAT HAVE MADE ME SMILE RECENTLY

* seeing Devon at the top of trees and playground equipment
* the variety of birds that come into our yard every day
* watching Naomi's eyes light up when she walked into Sally's Beauty Supply for the first time
* flowers and trees blooming in our yard
* Silas checking his bean seeds and Devon checking his basil seeds every morning
* the enthusiasm with which Tyler knocks over his stacking boxes
* kitchen counters made from bowling alley lanes at Becky's house
* the bigs taking care of and playing with Tyler
* having church, blogs or Facebook posts from other people, Bible study homework, and church all tie together
* finding out that Tim got an A and a B during his first term of school
* Devon teaching Naomi how to draw, do math, and sound out tricky words
* friends who are thoughtful
* hearing Naomi call peanuts "elephant nuts" and realizing she didn't recognize them in the shell
* Silas surprising me by nailing the slats back on the repaired section of fence
* a Yankee lemon cupcake candle on the dining table
* belly laughs from each of the little Ws about various things
* Devon's excitement when his Boy's Life magazine comes in the mail
* being able to use the table saw that we were given to help someone who needed a board cut
* Silas doing school in the branches of a tree at 8:00 in the morning
* mowing the lawn
* Tyler jabbering in bed when he wakes up from a nap
* talking to Granny on the phone
* time with the kids at a park
* Naomi contentedly playing in the bath long after the water's gone cold
* board or card games being played by various combinations of Ws