As my kids have gotten a little older I have been overjoyed to see they have picked up on this "tradition" as well.
Last week we had a trip planned to go to the cabin right after school. We had packed the kids in a laundry bin the night before. (I almost always pack in laundry bins and bring an extra to use as a dirty clothes bin. It makes it so easy to just take the clothes straight to the laundry room and wash when we get home.)
So the morning of our trip I woke up and found this note on the island in the kitchen:
It reads: Dear Waite Family, We have done this little gift for you. We hope you like it. It is payback for all the good things you have done for us. From, Secret Santa Elves PS. Look in the back of your car!!
I went to my car and opened the trunk to find this:
Sweet little secret elves (Lauren's idea and master mind and Sabrina's brawn and writing ability) had put our stuff in the car ready to go on our trip.
It is good for me to highlight and keep in mind these little bright spots in my life as a mother of young children. So often I have days, like today, where I get weighed down by all the needs being drawn from me. It can often seem like everyone has an urgent need for my attention or care all at once. Sometimes it makes me feel lonely while simultaneously claustrophobic with so many little people on top of me.
I am grateful tonight for my little Lauren who in the middle of a stressful night "got carried away" helping me and couldn't help herself but just had to help me anyway her little 6 year old self could. Her sweet willingness and persistent desire to help me was a bright light to me tonight. I love my children and tonight I especially love my Lauren and the bright example of service she is to me even when I am grouchy.
6 comments:
Your girls are awesome. You are good parents.
Great post and it made me giggle. I hardly ever say anything when there is a missed word(because I make a zillion typos myself) but I loved how it said you packed the kids in a laundry basket for your trip :-) I instantly had a mental image of all of your kids sitting squished in one basket while you tried to haul it to the car and it made me smile this morning. Yes, I know what you really meant but still, you made me laugh this morning without even trying :-)
What a sweet story. A good reminder for all of us.
Speaking of good reminders. Thanks for the great reminders in your Family Volley comment. Service to others always raises spirits. I am struggling with the exercise right now also. It keeps me sane, I long for it, but with our 4 small children, teaching, and church, I can't figure where to fit it into our lives. I keep thinking "time and season", but someone how the season needs to be now.
Hope you enjoyed your trip to the cabin.
Great job Lauren!! Very sweet!
Such a sweet story. My first thought was- I wish my kids would do this. My second thought was- I need to role model this type of service to them. I know I do on a daily basis a lot of service but do I do it with a servants heart? I am going to be praying about how I can model this to them. Secondly- GREAT idea about packing. I have four little ones an intend to duplicate this!!!! Thanks for sharing- I've been reading yor blog for over two years now and I am so inspired by you!!! Keep it up!!:)
very cute also
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