Kindness Captured...

I make sure that my kids have most of their needs met. Sad to say, not all of them. I recognize this when Gianna stomps off because she really wanted to tell me something about her day or snuggle with me...and I have a baby that needs immediate attention. Or, selfishly, I am sometimes just too tired to sit down and read a book with a child. I will sit down for a second and it's like an alarm goes off that Mom has an empty lap!

I love to be needed. I am so incredibly blessed to be serving my family. But, I'm not always as kind as I think I should be. For example, Joseph requested a certain drink in a certain cup for lunch (the request was acceptable and not too hard for me). Well, he got a drink... a different drink in a different cup, but a drink! I tell myself that kids need to learn "you get what you get and you don't get upset." It's sometimes necessary with this many kids, but I can choose to be kinder sometimes!

Justin was screaming for water last night from his crib. I personally witnessed him drink an entire cup after brushing his teeth. So, I didn't go into him. But, I was sitting there thinking...what mother denies her child a drink!? Didn't Jesus ask for water on the Cross!? :)

Now, I'm definitely not a pushover and not (too) naive, but sometimes I know I could be kinder!

I captured this perfect moment of kindness yesterday. Everyone was getting a little restless around 4 p.m., so I suggested going outside to play. It wasn't terribly cold. The children reluctantly agreed and I started the process of getting everyone ready.

Cecilia and Justin went outside first. As I helped the others, I heard Justin telling Cecilia that he was afraid to walk down these snowy stairs (see above...there's no banister).

I was about to go out and lift him down the stairs when I saw this...Cecilia was cleaning the snow off of the three stairs...with her bare hands (I hadn't gotten around to mittens yet!). She was telling him to hold on just a second and she would help him down the clean stairs.

They say that 3-year-olds are very self-centered (and of course, she has her moments), but here was a 3-year-old putting her 2-year-old brother first while not even caring about her own hands (which must have been freezing!).

Wow! It inspired me to be kinder. It's the little things that make the biggest difference in life (I think of that whenever I look at Lucy's little fingers and toes!). Let's see how long this kinder Mommy lasts :)...God help me!