Sweetness Personified

'Tis the season. And, like all children do, mine spend a lot of time picking these beautiful......flowers......and delight themselves by giving them to me by the handfuls.

Fighting off the temptation to just throw them away when they weren't looking, I decided instead to reciprocate my children's intended kindness by making a bouquet of them. Of course, this made them supremely happy, and so our house has been continually recycled by these flowers, throwing out the dead ones and replacing them with fresh ones. It really is a very easy way to make my children feel pretty special.

So, one evening last week, with all of these warm fuzzies floating around our household brought about in part by the flower-giving episodes, my silver-tongued son outdid himself yet again in his flattery to his mama. While tucking him in to bed and giving him kisses and snuggles, he said to me:

"You know, I sure do like that brown-haired lady right there," he said, pointing to me.

I almost turned around, thinking surely there must be someone else in the bedroom. Sensing my hesitation, he said yet again:

"She has a shirt with stripes on. Yep. That lady."

What can I say about this boy-child of mine? I decided that I am going to enjoy this lovely personality of his while he's young, and let tomorrow (and the potential problems of his charm) take care of itself. With God's help.

For today, he's just my sweet, lovable boy.

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My poor girl has been sick for the last couple of days with a stomach flu. Feeling terrible this morning, her dad went in late to work and I went alone on my bus run today.

A couple of kindergarten girls, Tyarah and Jaycene, got on the bus and promptly asked where my kids were. I told them that Hannah was sick. They wanted to know if she had a cold, so I told them what kind of illness she had. They both seemed very compassionate to her plight and I was very touched by their concern.

When they got on the bus after school, Tyarah handed me a piece of artwork that she had made and asked me to give it to Hannah because she was sick. I told her how very sweet that was of her to think of Hannah and that I would be very happy to give it to her. Then Jaycene said to me:

"Remember when Hannah made me a card when I was sick?"

Of course I remember. Jaycene had broken her arm a couple of months ago and, compassionate girl that Hannah is, she decided to make Jaycene a card telling her that she hoped that she felt better soon. She gave the card to Tyarah to give to her. We had never heard back from either of them, so I wasn't sure if Jaycene had even received it. Now, two month's later, Jaycene brought it up and I was very moved with the thought that Hannah's thoughtfulness impacted these girls.

In the last month, she has taken to playing games like "I Spy", or "Let's see who can spell the word........", or even "let's count the fire hydrants......." (exciting, I know) on the bus with the younger kids. All of this went through my mind today and I realized that Hannah really has been extra sweet to these younger kids. And today she is reaping the benefits.

I took home the piece of artwork that Tyarah made for her and gave it to Hannah with her well wishes. What does my sweet girl do? She sits down and writes a note for me to give to Tyarah tomorrow (because she likely will not be on the bus again for one more day, at least). Here is the note:

And so the cycle continues.