Last Thursday was the day at school where my kids got to go to the school book fair at their school. My daughter had planned on taking a 20 dollar bill which she had got for her birthday and had been saving for months. Well she spent 30 minutes Thursday morning looking for her money and could not find the 20 dollar bill in question. So I told her I would handle it.
We stopped at a gas station on the way to school so I could get me some coffee and a newspaper and I also pulled out 20 bucks to give to my kids to spend at the book fair. I gave my kids the 20 bucks and told them that they could each buy one book and give me back the change when I get home from work that night.
I dropped the kids off at school, kissed them both goodbye, and also wished them a good day. I drove the hour to work and proceeded to have one of the worst days at work in recent memory. Well it was worse than it normally is on a day to day basis, but that is beside the point.
I got home from work to my son yelling at me to close my eyes as I came in the door. So I dropped the stuff I was carrying inside the door and closed my eyes as I was instructed to do. I opened my eyes to see my son holding a University of Texas poster board that my kids had brought home for me. What they had done was they each picked out a book at the book fair, and then they saw the UT poster. They had decided between the two of them to get it for me with the money left over from their book purchase. So instead of bringing me home the change that was leftover, they decided to buy me something. Well I hugged them both and thanked them for making my day. Here my kids had without being prompted by me or anyone else had gone and got me something from their book fair. Needless to say after my shit filled day at work, I was all warm and fuzzy inside with my gift from my kids.
So I say it is indeed the little things in life that make it worthwhile getting up each and every day. I guess on Thursday I realized that I have done a decent job in raising my kids to be good people.
Thats awesome. I wonder if the sentiment would have been the same had they brought home a Sooners poster?
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simpledudecomplexworld.blogspot.com
Your kids are great. I cannot say how many times that you have done a fabulous job raising them... and I mean YOU, since their mom lacks parental skills.
ReplyDeleteSweet story, too. It's better each time I hear it :)
Awwww, that was sweet of them to use your money to buy you a gift. :) No seriously, it's definitely the small things we have to be grateful for. If we dwell on the stupid crap, this life would be so much harder.
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aw! makes me wish i wasn't too shallow and selfish to have children of my own ;)
ReplyDeleteseriously, tho, very sweet :)
It is the little things! Can you imgaine just how much joy and laughter and love we would miss out on if we only waited for the 'big' things?
ReplyDeleteFantastic post!
awe that was so sweet of them!!!
ReplyDelete@ Simpledude, they would not have got me a Sooners one as they know I am no fan of OU.
ReplyDelete@ Miley, I can't take all the credit. I mean it has only been 4 years that I have been raising them full time. Their momma had them the first 6 years of their life and then she did an ok job. Now is another story.
@ Krissy, I agree.
@ Kage, I did not really want kids either till I knocked her up, so I can semi relate to what you are saying.
@ Daffy, that is very true.
@ Birdshit, yes it was very sweet of them.
Our house has been The Vomit House for the last 2 days. This morning, my husband woke me up as he was leaving for work to tell me that there was a huge pile of it in one bedroom. Oh, gross sheets leftover from last night. And then, another kid started puking this morning, so there I was, scrubbing the carpet again.
ReplyDeleteAll of a sudden, my three year old baby was thanking me for cleaning up her mess. And for a second, I felt appreciated.
That is a very sweet story. Your kids know and love you at least as well as you know and love them. Go Longhorns! xo
ReplyDelete@ Georgia, I can see how that simple thank you kind of gets outweighed by the puking at hand.
ReplyDeletearen't kids great (most of the time)!
ReplyDeleteyou are a good dad...
ReplyDeleteand your kids did a great thing. it is the little things...
yet another reason to be thankful in a pretty much thankless world...kids...
Bruce
bruce johnson jadip
And
evilbruce
stupid stuff i see and hear
and
The guy book
the guy book
That's so cute! Your kids really are great and you should be proud.
ReplyDelete@ Robyn, thanks. And yes they sure do.
ReplyDelete@ Marsha, yes most of the time kids are great.
@ Bruce, thanks Bruce. I am thankful for kids, but even more thankful for trying to make kids.
@ Uninspired, thank you. And I am very proud of them.
@ Mister, thank you.
Seems like you did just fine as a father. That was very sweet of them. :-) I wasn't as sweet. I used to cheer myself up by playing my favorite game with my dad. I named it "odd or even". I pinch his arm hair and rip then count. If he guesses wrong we do it all over again! Fun times!
ReplyDeleteGood parenting produces kids who know that there is pleasure in giving as well as recieving. You have every right to feel warm and fuzzy and very proud of your kids.
ReplyDelete@ Jewels, Thank you. I am not sure if I have done a good job or not, but I like to think I am trying. And that game sounds like good quality fun time with you dad.
ReplyDelete@ Mynx, That is very true.
It's always nice to be surprised…even if it was purchased with your own money.
ReplyDeleteI'd have to agree with you!
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet story.. those really are some great kids.
ReplyDelete@ Teaching, at their age I am still happy even if it is my own money.
ReplyDelete@ Sanda, thank you.
@ Holly, thank you. They are some sweet kids most of the time.
Kids sure have a way of cutting through all the crap and putting a smile on your face. I agree, it's the little things that we cherish most.
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