Uno, Dos, Tres....Crotch-o

I've been doing my Joy Dare's, looking for 3 gifts everyday that God has blessed me with, and what I'm finding out is that I usually find bonus gifts along the way.  Today's Joy Dare is:  3 Gifts from your Heavenly Father.  Well, I could find a million gifts from my Heavenly Father, so I have to think about the top 3 that I consider blessed to have in my life on a daily basis.  The ones that I thank Him for all the time - the best of the best.  That's easy - Keith, Robyn and Riley.  My family.  Last night we were all taking care of Robyn who is recovering from getting all 4 of her wisdom teeth pulled.  She is getting the royal treatment, one of which is dibs on the TV.  Her wish is our command, and her latest was to watch some of her favorite movies from her childhood.  So we brushed the dust off of the VCR and all of her old Disney VHS tapes like Lady and the Tramp, Peter Pan, etc.  Little did we know that there would be a gem of an old family video in the VCR.  As we powered up the old VCR, an old Christmas home video appeared on the screen.  There on the screen we saw the cutest 6 year old Robyn, an adorable 4 year old Riley and a much less stressed looking Keith and Regina.  We all watched with wide-eyed amazement as we saw what was our family years ago.  So different, but yet the same.  Still completely in love with each other and seeing each others needs and wishes be met.  As a mom I suddenly felt like I was on a roller coaster of emotions.  Seeing those moving pictures of my children evoked feelings that ran the gamut from heartfelt joy to bittersweet regret - wishing I could hold those little children again and tell them I loved them so much.  I continued to watch as a game of Candyland unfolded in front of my eyes on our nice, new, big, flat-screen TV from our latest Christmas.  There was Robyn, Riley and Uncle Matt enjoying a game from all of our childhood days.  As Riley counted out the moves for his little gingerbread man to go 2 colored squares on the board, he happily counted "uno, dos".  Then Riley broke out some lines from Shrek's 'Livin la Vida Loca' duet with Eddie Murphy and Antonio Banderas:  "uno, dos, crotch-o, hit it!"  Everyone bursted out laughing at his pronunciation of the word "cuatro" as "crotch-o".  It made me realize that there is a bonus gift from my Heavenly Father that I wanted to acknowledge - Gift #4 - Gift cuatro or "crotch-o".  And that is His protection over all of us and that He has sustained us and kept us happy and together all these years.  Just that morning I was reading from the Psalms in the Bible as I've also been doing a 30 Day SPA = a 30 day Summer Psalm Adventure.  I'm reading 5 chapters in Psalms a day for a month.  Psalm 5:11-12 says, "But let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy.  Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.  For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield."  Thank you, LORD, for your blessings all these years and that we are still together, spending time together, laughing together, loving each other and taking care of each other.  You have surrounded us with your favor and we are so grateful.