I had already written a different newsletter for today when the photo above greeted me at our front window. Sorry it isn’t the best picture.

This one image pretty much sums up what I am thankful for. Every day when I leave for work, Maddy tells me, “OK, Daddy, I love you. See you after work. I’m going to wave.” And it’s that final statement that fills me with joy. It’s become such a tradition that if I leave a little early and the girls don’t get to wave, the closing garage door will often wake them up, and they’ll come running downstairs to see if they can catch me before I turn the corner. At least once, when Maddy missed waving, it turned into a fit of tears that was only solved with a phone call and a promise to see her in a few hours. I’ll admit that on days when they aren’t there or when they’ve already started on some project, I’ll find myself gazing at the window, looking to see if maybe, just maybe they are there to wave goodbye.

So today, Maddy in the window reminded me to be thankful and happy for all of the little things in life. For a wave and a smile from a child. For a happy welcome home from a pet. For a kiss and a quiet “I love you” from someone special. Life just isn’t life without those things. I think they are worth our constant gratitude.