Showing the love...

Often times I regale you with stories of pants peed in and meltdowns.  Well, today I would like to tell you about the sweetest, most well-behaved little boy on the planet.

The morning started off with me heading to a preview consignment sale.  And I raked in the good deals while Sloan lovingly watched the kiddos as he worked from home.  During lunch, I showed Sloan all the finds.  This began with me first saying, "I really want you to be excited about used children's clothing and toys.  So when I show you something awesome, I need you to react accordingly."  (I've learned that unless I preface clothing purchases with this disclaimer, I do not get my desired reactions.  He is, in fact, male and so uninclined to whoop and hollar at a Tea Collection dress new with tags for $3.)  After swooning over the items, he noticed that I purchased far more items for Gracie than Henry.  (Because he can still wear most of his clothes from last winter.)  So my dear husband sent me back to the sale while Gracie napped with Henry in tow.

Let me first explain the environment of a Consignment sale preview.  It's a bit crowded, in a local community center, and not terribly kid friendly.  Although we were going for things for Henry, I was expecting it to be a little slice of hell.

I was mistaken.  Before we headed into the sale, I bent down to look Henry in the eyes to remind him of the rules.  "1.  You must be able to see me.  If you can't see me, I can't see you.  2.  Use your inside voice.  3.  When it is time to go, you are not to grumble, whine, or complain. Do you understand?" 

In the sweetest little voice, he replied, "Yes m'am.  I understand." 

And so we shopped.  Despite the fact that we were wading in toys, he asked permission to touch the toys he wanted to play with.  When we passed boxes of trains and I told him we weren't getting any trains, he understood.  We bought books and some trucks and cars.  But mostly books.  He picked out a train book and carried it around with him, occasionally sitting on the floor to look at it.  And then we went upstairs for the part I dreaded...to wait in line.  And let me be clear--the line was long.  As in we waited in line for about an hour.  An hour, people.  And not once did my boy complain.  Nor run outside. 

And it was even more difficult for him because we were waiting in line behind a women and her two children--another 3 yr old boy (who did run off frequently) and a 7 month old girl in her bucket car seat.  I say this only because even I find it more difficult to do the right thing when your friends are doing the wrong thing. 

Occasionally Henry would hide in the clothing racks and I would say, "Henry?  Where are you?"  and he would giggle and pop out, saying, "I here, Mommy."  A few times he would run up and down the aisles, but usually for about 5 seconds before he would return.  Once I think he thought he was lost, but luckily his Tia Shannon saw him and pointed to where I was and told him to mind all the other people.  She said he walked down the aisle saying, "Excuse me. Mommy?  Excuse me. Mommy?" 

I have never been so proud of him.  I feel a little bad that I was so surprised by his behavior.  I must say that he behaved far better than what I considered to be well behaved for a three year old boy.  At a toy and clothing sale. 

At one point, he was gently rocking the baby girl in front of us in her car seat.  I told him I was proud of him for being so gentle with the baby.  His response?  "I showing her da love of Jesus, Mommy."

How loudly you showed His love today, my boy.  And all while using your inside voice.