I Smiled Today When...

...I happened to glance out the window this morning and saw our next-door neighbors, who happen to be Old Order (horse & buggy) Mennonite, leaving their house to go to Granddaddy Shank's for the draining of the shrimp pond and harvesting of the shrimp that was happening today.  A tractor with a wagon attached to the back pulled into their driveway, and they all strolled across the lawn to it and climbed up into the wagon. I'm not sure how many others were in the wagon, too; but I could see quite a row of bonnets in it.  I guess that's the Old Order equivalent to a stretch limo.  ;)

I also smiled today when...

...Tobin wanted to hold Moriah after I fed her some rice cereal this morning.  I sat with him on the couch while he happily held his baby sister. We started talking about what he wants to be when he grows up, and I discovered that he wants to work at the barbershop and "do all the things that Dad does." He'd like to have 12 children; and when I asked what he'd like to name a son, he shrugged and said, "Maybe Jack." Then I asked, "What would you name a daughter?" He paused...smiled...then said, "Sweetie." ;)

I smiled at lunch when...

...all the boys were being so goofy and silly and laughing so much together; and then I heard Tobin ask, "David, would you like to have a house on your head when you grow up to be a dad?"  What???  :)

I smiled again when...

...we had our neighbors (yes, the Old Order ones) over for supper tonight, and part of the way through the meal, David--who, for the first time, did the vacuuming in preparation for guests coming over--must have looked down at the floor and noticed how dirty it already was because he said, "I just vacuumed this floor, and look at it now!"  I thought to myself, "Aha!  You're starting to understand."  ;)

I smiled a little later when...

...my neighbor Wilma was holding Moriah on her lap; and, although Moriah wasn't fussing, she did look a little startled when she looked at Wilma.  However, whenever she looked at her Grandma Fisher who was sitting next to Wilma, Moriah got a big, beautiful smile on her face and started cooing.  I think Moriah has her grandma wrapped around her little finger; they certainly have bonded during this visit.  ;)

I couldn't help but smile also when...

..."Aunt Carolyn," (who isn't related to us at all, but who is the aunt of our neighbor so we call her Aunt Carolyn, too) brought a little gift for Moriah this evening.  I held Moriah on my lap, and we opened the package "together," since five-month-olds can actually help to tear wrapping paper (and then they try to eat it, of course!).  When we got it open, was I ever surprised to find a baby plate and silverware set, decorated with DISNEY PRINCESSES!  How funny that an Old Order Mennonite, who has never owned a TV or computer or gone to the movies or anything like that, should be the one to give Moriah her first Disney princess merchandise!!!  :)