Mommy's Lesson

You think by now I would know to not go asking too many questions around christmas. Roper taught me a lesson last night that had me in tears. Bedtime was approaching and all I could think of was getting the kids to bed so my head could hit the pillow. I told Roper that if he hurried up and got his pajamas on, his teeth brushed, and his prayers said that I would read him a story. He did as I asked and I went hunting for the infamous "Twas the Night Before Christmas" book that I had placed on my dresser a few weeks ago. It was not there. I looked all over my room and soon became aggitated and I said (not very nicely I might add) "Roper, where did you put my book! Have you been in my room?!" He started to cry...which made me feel like crap. He cried all the way down the stairs and grabbed a present that he had hidden behind the tree wrapped with computer paper that he had drawn stars all over. It had a little box he had drawn on it that said to mom, dad, and mylee...frum Roper. He handed it to me still crying and he said, "It had been sitting there for a while mom, I didn't think you would notice! I wanted to get you something for christmas but I didn't have any money and I thought we could read this book on christmas." I felt HORRIBLE! I tried to console him but he just kept crying because he wanted to surprise me for christmas and now I didn't have a present from him. I convinced him to wrap the present back up and give it to Mylee and Dad for christmas and told him how much I loved him and how much I loved the present. Let this be a lesson for all of us parents this christmas... and when you can't find something you are sure was there earlier, maybe you just better leave it at that!