So I'm sitting here writing this as the snow has just stopped, yes snow, in southeast louisiana. CRAZY! Anyway, the heater just kicked on and I'm drinking a nice hot cup of tea. It got me thinking about how grateful I am for everything. My heater, my house for that matter. Big things, little things. It reminded me of the sweet moments that my kidos have expressed gratitude for the things in their life. Over thanksgiving one morning jackson came up to me out of the blue and said, "mom, I'm thankful!" I was thrilled that he expressed that to me and I replied with, "that's great honey, what are you thankful for?" He paused in deep thought and proudly proclaimed, "FRUIT SNACKS!" I laughed out loud and said "that's great but what else, thinking there was a profound, deeper answer about to come out of his sweet lips. He then proceeded with all the things that make his life great. "cereal bars, red ones!, graham cracker sticks, and oranges!"
I marveled at how truly grateful jackson seemed over a few of his favorite things and that he had stopped to let me know that he was thankful for those things. I took the opportunity to talk to him about all of the blessings we have and that some people are less fortunate that us. We talked about how some little boys and girls don't have any toys to play with or shoes to wear. I made sure to explain to my precious 4 year old that we truly have an abundance and not everyone is so fortunate. We then talked about picking out some toys to give away to little boys and girls who need some. I spent the next week or so cleaning out the boys playroom with baby toys that they had outgrown or simply stopped playing with.
Last week I packed the boys up and told them we were going to go and give the toys to children who couldn't buy their own. They got so excited and jackson said, "can we give them to all the children of the world?!" I told him we would see what we could do. As we headed to the car, jackson said, "wait mommy, go get the red bin!" I was puzzled, all the toys were already in boxes in the back of the car. "What do you need?" I asked him trying to hurry him along. "My trains, my trains!" He was very concerned and ran to get his box of trains. Jackson is obsessed with trains. He plays with them for hours. In all my cleaning, I didn't even think to touch his trains because they are so special to him. "We don't need your trains, baby" I told him. "We already have the toys to give away in the car." As he frantically dug through his treasured trains, he pulled out one of his favorite and said, "how about this one?" He held up a bright yellow train. "we can give this one to all the children of the world!" He was so excited and his heart was in such a good place" I teared up and said, " baby, you don't have to give away your favorite train" "uh, huh, I do" he said proudly and off to the car he trotted. My heart was so touched with the willingness to give and unselfishness jackson displayed. I was humbled. Did my four year old just teach me something?!
So off we went to the crisis pregnancy center where we unloaded 4 boxes of toys. The boys were so excited that their toys were going to go help other children. Jackson only had one little disappointment when we got there. He thought we were going to meet ALL the children of the world at once. OOps.
So I end this post once again reflecting on all the things I have. My family, my friends, my salvation, my earthly possesions and the love of 2 sweet boys that keep me humble and happy every minute of everyday!
I marveled at how truly grateful jackson seemed over a few of his favorite things and that he had stopped to let me know that he was thankful for those things. I took the opportunity to talk to him about all of the blessings we have and that some people are less fortunate that us. We talked about how some little boys and girls don't have any toys to play with or shoes to wear. I made sure to explain to my precious 4 year old that we truly have an abundance and not everyone is so fortunate. We then talked about picking out some toys to give away to little boys and girls who need some. I spent the next week or so cleaning out the boys playroom with baby toys that they had outgrown or simply stopped playing with.
Last week I packed the boys up and told them we were going to go and give the toys to children who couldn't buy their own. They got so excited and jackson said, "can we give them to all the children of the world?!" I told him we would see what we could do. As we headed to the car, jackson said, "wait mommy, go get the red bin!" I was puzzled, all the toys were already in boxes in the back of the car. "What do you need?" I asked him trying to hurry him along. "My trains, my trains!" He was very concerned and ran to get his box of trains. Jackson is obsessed with trains. He plays with them for hours. In all my cleaning, I didn't even think to touch his trains because they are so special to him. "We don't need your trains, baby" I told him. "We already have the toys to give away in the car." As he frantically dug through his treasured trains, he pulled out one of his favorite and said, "how about this one?" He held up a bright yellow train. "we can give this one to all the children of the world!" He was so excited and his heart was in such a good place" I teared up and said, " baby, you don't have to give away your favorite train" "uh, huh, I do" he said proudly and off to the car he trotted. My heart was so touched with the willingness to give and unselfishness jackson displayed. I was humbled. Did my four year old just teach me something?!
So off we went to the crisis pregnancy center where we unloaded 4 boxes of toys. The boys were so excited that their toys were going to go help other children. Jackson only had one little disappointment when we got there. He thought we were going to meet ALL the children of the world at once. OOps.
So I end this post once again reflecting on all the things I have. My family, my friends, my salvation, my earthly possesions and the love of 2 sweet boys that keep me humble and happy every minute of everyday!
1 comment:
well-written sweetheart. i'm fortunate to have a wife that finds joy and preciousness in the smallest expressions that come from our little ones' mouths... for recognition of these things, though unnoticed today, will lead to a self-awareness [on their behalf] in the future that they were and are cherished beyond description.
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