Thoughtful

Darcy has been really amazing me lately with how thoughtful she is. I wanted to jot this story down before I forget.

Last week was a rough week and at the end of the week I hit my breaking point. I was trying to hold on to any patience I had left, but there really wasn't much. I was trying (and failing for the 100th time) to get Darcy to stay in her room for quiet time. When she came down for the nth time I told her she had to go up to her room again and that she couldn't come down until she had put away her pile of folded clothes. She started whining and I reminded her that Ezra was up there sleeping and she needing to be quiet. That didn't work at all. In fact she got a little louder. I rushed up there but I was too late. Ezra started crying, and I got really mad at her. Yuck. I regretted my reaction immediately, but I was still pretty mad. I told her she now needed to put away her clothes and pick up all the pennies on her floor and put them back in her piggy bank. She was sad about it, but did get to work. After a while I realized I hadn't heard the pennies clink in her piggy bank for a while and I wondered what she was up to. I finished a couple things downstairs and decided to go check on her. I walked up into her room, and I was completely floored to find her putting away the last of her toys. She had made her bed, put away her clothes, picked up the pennies, and put away all of her toys. She had gone above and beyond and cleaned her whole room! I gasped as I walked in and she ran over to me to give me a hug with the biggest smile on her face. She said, "I wanted to make you happy!!" I told her thank you a million times. I was so amazed that she had been so thoughtful and sweet. She is 3!

A few days earlier we had surprised Nick and cleaned his pickup when he was home for memorial day, and while we did it I talked to Darcy about doing service and how it makes us feel happy to do nice things for other people. After she had cleaned her room I told her how happy I was, and I said, "Doesn't it make you feel happy to do something so nice for someone?" She said, "Yeah...Hey! I did service!!"

It was a day I consider one of my worst, but I also think of it fondly because it was one of her best.

I am so grateful for my thoughtful girl.