Smiles in Your Vicinity and Mine

The kitchen was quiet...mostly but not really for Molly was prancing around singing a Sunday school song from this morning that was on loop in her head. Normally, a song sung over and over with wrong words scattered throughout would cause a vein in my neck to stand out a bit by the third time through. Today, however, her song became the tune to which I was baking...with pumpkin!

A short way into her fourth iteration of her song, Molly noticed the mixer was in use and grabbed a stool. Dragging it toward me she said, "Can...I...help...you...cook?" 

I added the eggs, Molly added the pumpkin and the commentary...

"Mommy...you are just...the very best Mommy." It is her familiar chorus.

"I'm glad you think so Molly. You are the very best Molly."

"Oh Mom, you know I love it when you say that. Is that why you say that?"

"Yes, Molly. I like to make you happy."

"Oh I know," she said wistfully, "Don't I just make you smile?"

"Oh my yes," I confirmed...

...and then she waltzed off to make sure I wasn't the only one smiling...

A kind heart is a fountain of gladness, 

making everything in its vicinity freshen into smiles. 

~Washington Irving~