KIDS ARE FUNNY

This is sure a hectic time of year. Also, my Mom is staying in the bedroom where the computer is located so I don't have much access to my home computer right now. That's why I haven't been blogging. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

My daughter posted a picture of her ficus tree with presents under it and it reminded me of a story from her childhood.

We'd been remiss in getting up our Christmas tree that year. One day about two weeks before Christmas, we came home to the most pitiful sight I'd ever seen. My youngest daughter (about 13 at that time) had brought in a large branch that had fallen from our weeping willow tree. She had stood it up in the Christmas tree corner and decorated it with some rather pathetic homemade decorations. My husband and I both laughed hysterically but were really ashamed of ourselves at the same time. She sure got the point across that Christmas is for kids and as adults we owe it to them to get off our duffs and make sure that kids will have a joyous season.

Another story about this particular child is from when we first moved to CA and we were so broke. She was twelve and I thought it would be okay not to buy Easter candy. Of course, I was not okay with it. It was really depressing.

She went to bed and I was out tidying the kitchen when I decided I just couldn't stand it and started raiding my cupboards. I had no chocolate chips and absolutely nothing to cook with but some powdered sugar. I would up making potato candy flavored with peppermint. I colored it and made it into egg shapes. For a basket, I took an old plastic peanut butter pail, punched holes in it and picked yellow roses from an outside bush to fill the holes. I left it on the table and went to bed still feeling mighty blue.

The next morning, there was a knock on our bedroom door. In popped C. She had taken four socks and stuffed them with paper. Two were hanging down off a baseball cap to make floppy ears. Two were pulled over her shoes to make huge bunny feet. She had her basket in her hand and hopped through the room for us several times. We were all laughing but it was one of those moments (for me) that you almost feel like crying because you did something right for your child. It was also one of those moments when you realize that what little bit of joy you bring to your children will be repaid a thousandfold.