This past lent, I rewarded the children with jelly beans each time they did some good act.  Each color jelly bean corresponded with a certain behavior.  It was to follow a certain poem which outlined the order of things.  Well, we were fairly loose in the interpretation, and I believe green jelly beans were for kindness, in word or deed.  

Green also happens to be Dominic's favorite color.  

He learned pretty quickly to say "Mom, I love you.  And you're pretty."  For this he would be awarded a green jelly bean.  

Now I know what you're thinking, didn't they abuse the system and just rack up jelly beans.  And the answer is, no.

Even when I knew he was saying it because he knew he'd get to put a jelly bean in his jar, it was so sincere, and with his cute smile.  It melt my heart.  And yes, sometimes he would say it two times in a row, and I would tell him that was so sweet.  But he never pushed the issue about getting a second jelly bean.

So why did I tell you all this.

Because every once in while now, Dominic will out of the blue say: "Mommy, I love you.  And you're pretty."  And the new addition is "Really pretty in your wedding dress." (We recently went to a wedding.  Guess he thinks brides are pretty!)

And ya know what, it warms my heart so much to hear it.  I just can't put it into words.  

The thought that came to me was about praying the rosary.  An argument some use against this Marian devotion is that it's so repetitive, it doesn't really have any meaning if all you're doing is saying the same thing over and over. In defense, it is compared to saying 'I love you' to your mother, again and again, as the Hail Mary is a prayer of love, honor and devotion.

So I thought of that, and pondered if the Blessed Mother gets that same warm, loving feeling when her children pray sincerely to her.

So I feel so blessed to have a sweet child that can bring such joy and happiness to my life.  I have so much love in my life: my spouse, parents, siblings, friends...God!  And yet this love between mother and child is ever developing, growing ever deeper, and astounding me in ways I never knew!!  How wonderful!