Leap Year Day

It's Leap Year Day. 

Otherwise known as my niece, 

Maggie's Birthday!!!

We all think it's great fun. 

I don't know if she gets as big a kick out of it as we do.

Her father was born in a leap year. 

On February 28th. 

The story goes that they told our 

Great-Grandfather that he was actually born on 

the 29th just to make him happy.

I kind of think they weren't going to need to 

worry about that come Mark's first birthday

 (if you know what I mean.)

So how fun is it that his daughter was indeed

born on February 29th!

Maggie is and always has been one of the 

sweetest, most loving people

you will ever want to meet. 

My brother left Illinois before 

he and Patty started their family.

They would get back here about once a year or so.

And here is the coolest thing about Maggie, 

every time they came back for a visit Maggie would greet

each of us with a big hug!

What little kid does that to people they never see?

I think it's a testament to Mark and Patty

being deliberate in talking about the family

so the kids didn't think of us as strangers

but I also think it speaks to the 

size of Maggie's heart. 

PS, Maggie's an artist. 

Like me. 

She marches to her own drummer. 

I love that about her too.