Fingerprints and Stains

It's about to get very real here. Instead of showing only the best images of my life, here's some pictures of my shower wall. And the stains left behind from the bath crayons and paints.

Oops? Yes. I guess you could say it was a bit of an oops to not check a small corner of the tub before letting the children go full-throttle with their bath art, just to make sure the colors wouldn't remain after washing them off. And yet ... this doesn't bother me.
Let me explain a bit more.
One, we're probably going to replace this tub eventually anyway.
But, more importantly, fingerprints and stains like these bring me a little joy. Because they mean I have children living in my house.
For those of you who haven't already heard my story, it took us six and a half years to be able to get pregnant with my daughter. That summer, we visited some friends who had also had fertility issues (and ended up adopting the son who was absolutely perfect for their family). She told me of when they were picking out a new fridge when they were still waiting for their boy. The sales clerk had warned her that if she bought the stainless steel one, it was more prone to having smudges and fingerprints leftover from little hands. She couldn't think of anything happier. Because those prints would mean that the biggest desire of her heart had come true.
So, when I see these leftover artistic endeavors, it doesn't make me cringe like it might some. Instead, it reminds me that God gave me a great big YES to my prayers all those years ago.
And I especially like this one.

So, next time you find a mess made by those toddlers and preschoolers (or older) running around your house, think about how boring and empty it would fill if they weren't around. And maybe send up a thank you for the fingerprints and stains.
​Do you have any favorite marks left behind by your children? Anything you need to look at a little differently?