Thankful Thursday

After school on Wednesday, Lucy handed me her folder and said she wanted me to see what was in it. I'm assuming it was a pre-Mother's Day activity at school, a handout with "Mom's Gazette: World's Best Mom!" printed across the top. On the side it says, "My mother is:" and there's a list of adjectives, with a notation to "check all that apply." Lucy checked all 21 boxes, from Awesome to Wise. I'm not so sure they all describe me (Am I Brave, Brilliant, and Cheerful? Hmmm...), but Lucy thinks they do, so they do.

Then there's a fill in the blank section.

My mom rocks! She is cool.

When she hugs me, it makes me happy. 

I love doing things with her, especially playing. 

She is so good at blogging. 

There are days, so many days, when I feel like there is not one damn thing I'm doing right in this whole parenthood/motherhood/raising children gig. And then one of my kids does something so thoughtful and sweet and loving, and I'm beyond thankful that these little people I'm attempting to raise look beyond my many faults and mistakes and just love me.

I am thankful that Connor was completely understanding when he found out Chris has to work and can't go to Boy Scout camp, so I'll be taking him instead. He had the heart to act like he's not disappointed at all, even though I know he was looking forward to the time with his dad.

Mathilda likes to play that she is the mom and I'm her kid. She creates the funniest little stories. Many of them have to do with visiting the mayor. "Come on honey, we have to visit the mayor today." Yesterday it was, "Tomorrow is a big day, we're going to Disney World!" Then she says the sweetest things to me...like, "you are just the best kid I ever took care of". Melts my heart. And fills me with gratitude and gives me hope that maybe I'm modeling something positive along with my bursts of temper and less than proud moments.

Wednesday, Bethany had fundraiser money due at school. I had haphazardly left the cash sitting out in the family room without a second thought about it. When I woke up in the morning, I went to get it, and it wasn't there. I couldn't believe I had been so careless. Mathilda could have taken it and hid it anywhere, or ripped it up...who knows? Or it could have fallen into the dark recesses of Under the Couch, never to be seen again. But then Bethany came downstairs and I found out that she already had the money ready to take to school. Sometimes she has a presence of mind and level of capability that surprises me, for an 11-year old. I can count on her to take care of business.

Sunday we had a movie night, the kids and I. I had read Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to Bethany and Connor over the past couple weeks, so when I finished the book I got the movie from the library. It's an old-fashioned book with old-fashioned language that isn't always easy to understand, being a British book that was written in the 1960s. Every night I read to them, they sat so quietly with me and seemed to appreciate the time together. They didn't complain or act bored, even though I often had to stop and explain what a certain word or phrase meant, and even though it was kind of hokey. All four of the kids watched the movie on Sunday, which was two and half hours long. Several times I thought they would lose interest, what with the singing and the hokey factor and all. But they all watched the entire movie, from beginning to end. I am thankful that they enjoy our time together, and that they can sit nicely to appreciate books and movies, even when they're not the modern entertainment that they are accustomed to.

My kids are a living example of love, acceptance, and forgiveness. I'm not trying to say they're perfect, or that they don't sometimes antagonize one another or disrespect their parents. I'm just saying that we could all learn a thing or two from our kids, and that I'm thankful for the perspective that mine give me.

What are you thankful for today?