Thank God for sunshine! And cool breezes. Gracie likes it, too. It’s cute to see her turn her little face towards the breeze and to watch it tease the wispy hair on top of her head. I can only imagine how cute she’ll be later, this summer, running along the beach. (If we’ve got her running by then.) She’ll love the beach…I know she will. Because she likes things that I like. I sing her one of my favorite Frank Sinatra songs, and Mom teases me that she won’t know what “no, no” means because it’s part of the song. *grin* I know I spoil her, but how often does someone that special come along? I love how much she loves me. She always smiles at me, trying to get me to come pick her up off the floor. And when I walk past her and sit somewhere off to the side or behind her, she turns really fast and tries to get in my lap. Earlier today, while Stace and I were talking, she was making little popping noises with her lips…I swear she was trying to figure out kisses! What an angel. God really knew what He was doing when He created her the way He did and gave her to our family. She is constantly my reminder that I don’t really have it all that bad (how can anyone complain with those chubby arms around your neck?), and that God is so completely in control.
posting a poem I wrote about her a while ago…quite by accident, too, which is how anything poetic comes out of me—
baby arms around my neck,
baby fingers in my hair
playing…
drooling.
all I want to do is watch her face, to see
the wonder and delight of God’s world in her eyes
chubby grin, dimples…
she’s so cute I want to eat her.
when she fusses
or throws her little fit
I roll my eyes and make things better, knowing
that she will have to change
because life will always have it’s issues.
I would do anything for her
my love for her could never die
I would give my life for her…
edit
Tonight on our way to the drugstore, my sister and I saw the full moon covered by a large, thin cloud. The cloud had just enough ripples and the moon cast just the right shadows as it shone through to give the illusion of sand…it looked exactly like a freshly combed beach. It looked like you could walk out over the sand and get to the moon. I thought of you instantly, Jonathan, and Stacy tried to call you until, nearly dancing in frustration, I realized ya’ll were probably still at the wedding. Oh, well…maybe you saw it anyway.
It’s very late…nearly 3 o’clock in the morning. 94% humidity…not bad for a nearly foggy evening. I know it was lower during the day. Hurray! Normally, we live with something like 98%, on good days.
The night is very quiet, though I can’t figure out why that seems so unusual. The moon shining down in the backyard creates such an ethereal light, almost like snow, turning the view out my window into a sort of wonderland. Did you know that the birds start waking up around this time? You rarely hear any birds after dark until about three AM. Talk about getting the worm early. But I never noticed until I was actually up that late (early?) and noticed that I suddenly heard birds singing. At night? It was almost depressing that first time, realizing that, just as I was about to go to sleep, part of the world around me was waking up. Smart birds. I suddenly felt foolish for my sleep habits. But they sang me to sleep nicely, so I haven’t minded them since.
Laying upside down on my bed, so that I can see out my window, I feel the cool night air come in, almost in waves, even though there’s no breeze. This is the kind of fresh air that makes you glad to be alive, and grateful for each breath.
PennyDaisy 
i wish i could have seen gracie while she wasn’t sleeping! i can see the wind sweeping up her wisp of hair. so cute. i miss her.