Proud Mama!!!

Today I am one Proud Mama!!!

Everyday, and I mean everyday Lil surprises me with the things she understands! All year long Lily saves her money in a "give back" jar. We always save it till Christmas so she can buy toys for Toys for Tots. We have explained to her why it's so important to "give back". We explain to her that not all kiddos have all of the toys and books that she does, that sometimes Mommy's and Daddy's can't do the things for their kiddos that her Mommy and Daddy can. We ask her to think about other kiddos, the kiddos who may not have a Christmas if we don't do our part. We want her to understand that not all kiddos have the "life" she has. (yes, she's spoiled)

So today was the big day....we ventured out to get our toys. Lily and Mommy head out to Target...we don't find anything that we have to have so we decide that we are Toys R Us bound. We stroll through all of the isles (and yes I mean all). All the while I can just see her mind going crazy. She finally decides on a couple of things for a girl, and a play set for a little boy. She told me that she would really like what she picked out, but she knew that she had to "give back". I picked out my toys and we head to the register to pay. She was so proud to get out her wallet and pay by herself (yep, my girl saved $60). She had $13 left over when we left Toys R Us. We got to the car and she told me that we needed to go to another store because she had more money. She never asked if she could keep that money, she wanted to buy more toys for kids who don't have any. So on the Meijer's we go!

I needed to return a few things at Meijer's, (bare with me) so I'm getting my money back from the cashier. She asked if she could give Lily the 3 pennies so she can ride Sandy the pony. So Lil puts them in her pocket, we pick out her toys and pay, then she asks if she can ride the pony. We head over to Sandy and as she's riding she notices that someone left pennies there. She asks me why there are pennies just sitting there, so I explain to her that someone must have left those pennies for the kiddos that don't have a penny to ride. Then my sweet, sweet girl grabs those two other pennies out of her pocket and tells me she would like to leave her pennies there too!!

I had all I could do not to cry right there.....ok, I got teary eyed!!! Everyday as a parent I question if I'm doing a good job (I think most of us do?), at that moment I thought...we are doing something right!!!! I really think she gets it and for that I AM ONE PROUD MAMA!!!!

xoxo

(note: I wanted to add photos, but it won't work!!!)