The "Thank You" Party

My living room is huge... and very empty.

We use one side of it as a classroom where I home school my pre-schooler and first grader.  In that space we have two school desks, my office desk, a floor lamp, and an electric piano against the wall (thanks, Mom T!)... and it's still an empty cavern.  It's actually a cool place for the kids to run around and burn pent up energy, and I'm very thankful for the space.  I have often walked through it, longing for pretty furniture, but such things are just not practical, or feasible, at this time in our lives.  Maybe one day.

But I needed to preface this blog post with an explanation of this seemingly empty room and why I'm so excited to post pics of it for the world to see.  I do not have expensive, pretty furnishings to grace my home and fill it with elegance.  I never have, and probably never will.  But I do have one thing I want to brag about.  I have two children under the age of 10 who know how to say thank you, of their own volition, of their own free will, and in their own way.  I couldn't be more proud.

I had been busy around the house, cooking, cleaning, all that mommy jazz.  I remember being very tired, stressed out (shocker), and maybe even downright crabby.  (It happens to the best of us, lol.)  I had been in one particular end of the house for a bit, and then Rachel and Jordan come running up to me, all smiles and giggles.  They had something they wanted to "show me".  So, I dropped what I was doing, and was led by the hand to this particular room, with strict instructions to keep my eyes closed.  When I opened them, I cried.

The girls had decorated my empty room.

They had made their own streamers from construction paper.  They had set out my fine dining room chairs (folding, plastic chairs, ha).  They had put up little signs to instruct one where to place socks and shoes.  They had put up little stuffed animals in various places.  And they had covered the floor in rugs and blankets to "jump on".  I asked why.  They told me with bright eyes and smiling faces, "It's a 'thank you' party!".  They quickly explained they wanted to thank mommy and daddy for all that we do for them.  They wanted to have a party just for us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I broke on the inside.

I gathered them in my arms and told them how proud I was of them, then I explored the room as they gave me a guided tour of all the things they had done.  Of course, we went and got daddy out of his office right away.  (He works a full-time job at home on top of being a full-time pastor so that I can stay home with my children.)

My girls.  My wonderful, beautiful girls.  They are already learning as children what a lot of adults never seem to grasp... the gift of thankfulness.