Hand prints = heart prints

So, I have to say...being an Aunt is a super cool thing.  Being invited into a family and being offered the title of Aunt, is an incredible blessing.  Yesterday I spend the afternoon with Anna, she's 5.  

What didn't we do?  

After a solid lunch of chicken fingers, smiley potatoes, carrot and celery sticks and some chocolate milk, we were ready to roll....but too full for dessert at the moment.  

We played with Marley, we played with her toys without her when she got bored and then we took a nail painting break. 

Who knows why mom doesn't let her paint her nails...mine came out fabulous!  Green with pink spots and blue with pink spots....for the Monsters, Inc...you know, like Sully.  

This was the salon after we finished:

Finally, we were ready for dessert....Individual Fruit Pizzas, you can get The Pioneer Women's recipe: here! I used the sugar cookie from a dear family friend, Ellen, Z.  (thanks!) 

Here's the clean slate:

Here's one that's finished:

Here are the ones we made for ourselves and for Gammie and PopPop.  

After that, we decorated the cake for the youth Sunday school class:

There wasn't much left after Sunday school and the donut hour....which is good because I would've polished it off at home if it had come home with me.  

We looked at sno-globes and dusted them, too, since they were too dusty to look at.......oops!  We played with Marley (again).  

We played Uno and checkers and then it was time to go.  

It was a full afternoon with lots of giggles, a few surprises when chasing the cat and each other, and a few things different in my house after she left.

I got to clean up the 'salon'.

The bathroom looked like this:

(Who has time to hang towels on the rack, right?)

It may be hard to see in this photo, but it contains the hand print of a 5-yr-old.  :)

The bathroom may have been the highlight of the day.  I loved seeing the hand print and knowing that a little person had spent the afternoon at my place.

I stopped and prayed and gave thanks for parents, who see this every day.  For parents who hear the pitter patter of feet up and down the hallway and the squeal of giggles while the cat scampers around the corner.  For parents who don't get a word in when hearing about dance and the mall and the cat.
For parents who love unconditionally and for the tiny hands that they hold when they cross the street.  For parents who have empty nests and those who welcome us home when we just need a bed and a roof over our heads.  For parents who struggle.  For parents who are doing college visits with their kids.    For new parents and expecting parents.  You all are awesome, thanks.  Gracious God, be with parents when patience runs thin, when tempers flare, and when words are shouted.  Be with kids when they stomp up the stairs, slam the door and keep quiet through dinner.  Be in the lives of families through the gift of community in neighbors, friends and faith communities.  In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Until the next post . . .