Monday, April 28, 2008

Appreciative Kyle


We're an appreciative family. We look around and see the world for what it is and are generally thankful for what we have. Not that we don't work to make things better, or see the ills needing to be fixed, or work hard for our futures, because we do. But we appreciate the luck we have, the opportunities we've been able to maximize upon and the people in our lives.

That said, Kyle and Owen seem to be particularly appreciative. We've mentioned before that they just are, and always have been. They don't want much, they almost never ask for anything material, and they love what they have. For example, when we were in New Hope , and we did a little shopping for baby sister, there were stuffed animals all around and they never asked for any of them. The only thing they ever ask for are experiences, like riding the train.

Anyone who has been around them will attest that they are some of the most polite boys and almost always say please and thank you. Mostly that is our doing - we work hard to make sure they say their please's and thank you's.

But sometimes it just comes so unexpectedly, so genuinely, so amazingly so joyfully.

When I was putting Kyle to bed and I was done "talking about the day" I said to him: "Kyle, do you have any questions for me?" Now, he doesn't seem to know what a question is - he thinks it's some kind of statement.
Lying there in his single bed, about half the length of it, two honey bunnies, one sheep, a stuffed fish and his pillow, wearing his frog covered PJs and having just read his favorite Marching Band book, He got a huge grin- I could see his white teeth in the dark:
"It was a great day. I loved to ride the train. Thank you Papi for the train. I love you." and gave me a big kiss on the cheek.

That's not why we do it, but wow does that make it all worth it.

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