A Look at Her Heart...

We have reached a point in our family where I am no longer willing/able/interested in taking Rhys along with me for grocery trips.  He's always fought the seat and the seat belt since the minute he figured out someone and something was trying to keep him down.

Yes, there it is.

You can't keep a good boy down.

If I take both of them together, I can grab one or two things without too much protesting but it really just ends up being stressful for me.  I don't care to be in a hurry.  Especially about groceries.  

Since Chris is still working 90 hours a week, my options for grocery shopping alone are fairly limited.  Monday night, though, he had some bizarre Bermuda Triangle in his schedule.

He was home by 7:30 pm.

We tucked kids in bed, I kissed him on the cheek and raced out the door with my ready-to-go grocery list and two week meal plan.

At the end of the shopping, at my second stop, I wondered into the Halloween section.  Rhys didn't have a costume so I was looking for something simple and inexpensive for him.  

I scooped up a green Pumpkin for his Trunk and Treat haul.  Considered getting an orange one like his sister's but I wanted to be able to tell them apart.  Found him a red cape and mask and scored a Super Man tee shirt.  I was pleased.  He'd love it.  

When I got home and showed off my Mom of the Year purchases, my exhausted husband had one thing to say, "Aubrey Kate's gonna want that pumpkin."

I know.  But I'll deal with that tomorrow.

I left the cape, mask, tee shirt and pumpkin on the counter for Rhys the next day.  No use hiding it.  

The next morning, Aubrey Kate woke up first.  Which is kinda odd.  Of course, she spotted the pumpkin right off.  But what she said, surprised me.

"Momma!  You got Rhys his own pumpkin!  He'll love it!"

I was stunned.  She didn't want it for herself.  She was, instead, excited for her brother to get his very own.  

There are moments when you get a glimpse inside some one's heart.  Just a peak really.  A four year old, who is largely completely self-centered, rejoiced in her brother's perceived happiness.  Something, as adults and in our culture, we definitely struggles to grasp.

Too many of us spend our time comparing our lives to those we see.  People with bigger houses.  Better cars.  Fancier clothes.  Heck, I often envy moms who manage to dress their daughters in matching clothing.  That seems, to me, to be the pinnacle of mommy success these days.

And, much to his sister's delight, Rhys adored his pumpkin.  Carried it around all morning long.  Wearing his tee shirt, cape and mask.  Of course.  They played so well.  Each thrilled to have a new game...Super Hero...to play together.  I watched my son with his chubby bare legs (he refused pants) and my daughter with her precious, sweet heart playing.

And all I could do was say Thank You, Father.