Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Two Thankful Turkeys, and a Winner



Over the weekend we filled a big box with a bunch of food and a frozen turkey for a food drive that a mega-church near our house is running. It's a huge undertaking where families get a box or two or three and a list of what to fill it with, then come back to the church parking lot the next weekend to drop it off in this elaborate drive thru where you are met with cheering volunteers wearing turkey hats and listening to trendy pop music. They take in hundreds of thousands of pounds of food each year, and haul them away in the tractor trailers that line the parking lot. Impressive operation really.

Before we went shopping Saturday morning, I had the kids make these turkey cards at the last minute to put in our box, and took the opportunity to explain to Hendrix what we were shopping for an why. We talked about it the whole time the kids sat in the shopping cart, filling the box. I felt like we had done a splendid job introducing Hendrix to simple acts of kindness and goodness. Yes, we were awesome parents.

Then as we left the drive thru waving to the crazed church volunteers, Hendrix began to weep. Like not the tantrumy, I'm not getting my way crying, but the I'm so sad in the depths of my little 3 year old brain weeping. He thought we had just given away our own Thanksgiving and he had no idea why.

Welp, guess that didn't sink in as well as I was thinking.

Of course, we were able to calm him down and reassure him that we would have our own very blessed Thanksgiving with our friends in a few short days. And I'm sure he will continue to understand kindness more and more if we keep making sure to show him. But I realized it's actually really good right now that he didn't get it. Of course he would have no concept of money and how some families don't have enough and some families have a whole heaping bunch of it. I kind of don't want him to understand that for a really really long time. I kind of want myself to un-understand that, especially on those days when I'm constantly thinking our family is on the lacking side. It's a ridiculous thought.

So I guess this turned into my Thanksgiving-hey-I'm-thankful kind of post, and I don't even do those kinds of posts.  Whoops :)


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Anyway, I guess I should pick a winner for the Modern Designs for Classic Quilts giveaway, huh?

According to random.org, the winner is #7, Allison C who said:

"I haven't tried hexies and log cabins, but it is on the list!"

Congrats Allison, I'll email you!






9 comments:

  1. that is so sad and so so sweet! and i am with you, i wish i could un-understand it too!

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  2. Aw! That is so sweet. We took food to the food bank yesterday and I tried explaining it all to my three year old as well. It didn't really sink in for him either. But like you said, I kind of want to un-understand it too.

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  3. This is a perfect "life is so complex" post. Great you are trying to teach the kids - as confusing as it all is for all of us!

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  4. So, this year, we're shopping as a family with Samaritan's Purse to buy some much-needed things for disadvantaged families. There's a cool catalog so you can choose to buy medicine, food, clothes, livestock, education, etc. I told Aria (8) and Liam (5) that they should look through and decide how to spend $50 each. Liam chose stocking a fish pond (he can't read, so he's looking at pictures). Aria and I explained it to him. A few times. Yep, that's the one he wants to do. Because he wants to go fishing there with Daddy!

    Sigh.

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  5. Darling boys!!
    I've been using your link (Nov 14 entry) to reach Thomas Knauers entry on "My FWB" and the last entry seems to be Nov 14. I'm wondering if there is a more recent link.
    Thanks.

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    1. Do you mean that you are looking for Thomas Knauer's entry on the book tour? I think his is supposed to be today, so he might just be a little late getting it up. The link on my post is to his home page though, so you should be able to see all his most recent posts from there.

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  6. E and H are just so freaking cute. I agree; t's good that he doesn't quite get it yet. They are precious. Have a happy Thanksgiving, friend!

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  7. I just loved this post, Jessica. What a sweet time of learning for Hendrix. You ougtta get sappy on us more often. :D

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  8. What a great post, how sweet and wonderful, even though a little sad. You are an awesome parent!! :)

    I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family!

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