The day of the book fair, Rose came charging home after school with a friend in tow. The friend had invited her to turn right around and go back to school with her mom for the book fair, and Rose really wanted to go NOW instead of have me take her later after Joy's therapy.
So I pulled out the lone twenty-dollar bill from my wallet, rehearsed with her which two books she wanted to buy, and got set to send her off.
And then she said, "Wait, I want to buy a board-book for Joy."
I didn't have any more money in the wallet, but before I could mention this, Rose had galloped off to her room and pulled out the box where she keeps her allowance. She counted out five dollars, which she was going to put in her bra-purse but I convinced her to take something that actually zipped up to keep the money safe!
Here's what she brought home for her sister:
Between the change from the twenty and her allowance money, she'd had exactly enough with just a couple of pennies to spare.
Joy likes her new gift very much. She's been carrying it around a lot, and this evening I had to make her hand it over so I could get her to the table for supper. She said something that JoyDad, the barista and I all agreed sounded very much like "book."
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P.S. Just so it doesn't sound like we've got Saint Rose here or something... you should have seen the power struggle we had over clothing yesterday. It was COLD yesterday morning, and Rose wanted to wear capris and sandals to school. I made her wear long pants and shoes, which wrecked piano practice and the rest of the morning's preparation. After warning her that I didn't want ANY complaints about cold on the way to school, I let her get away with wearing a light hoodie for a wrap. Sure enough, about 5 minutes into the walk, the lower lip sticks out:
I didn't knooooow it would be so cold! It's NOT MY FAULT!
Natural consequences are a real booger sometimes. Heh.
11 comments:
she still st rose in my book.
such a pure, sweet, wonderful sister!
That's very sweet...we too have a child who can be sweet and caring one moment and defiant and stubborn the next. Sure makes life interesting and unpredictable.
Did she really say "book"? !!!!!
Yes, natural consequences ARE a real booger sometimes. :)
How wonderful about the book, though. That's awesome!
Both stories are LOVELY! and representative of so much love. :)
(Okay, I will withdraw the cannonization recommendation. Sigh. I will be watching, though.)
Well-told, JoyMama! When I saw Joy walking around with that book, I was struck by the sense that she knew it was a special gift of love.
Hey, but good teaching techniques. That book looks so happy!
Older sisters, so sweet one minute, so aggravating the next. I try to convince Laurie to dress in layers in this finicky April weather so we both win, LOL. Love the book, so nice and sparkly.
I'm sure saints slip up too! How kind to think of her sister like that AND use her own money - so sweet.
Well, at least Rose still admits, in a round about way, that she is feeling cold because she didn't dress properly for the weather. Just wait until she reaches the age of her cousin KJ (7th grade) and chooses to wear shorts and t-shirt when it is 40 degrees and rainy, and refuses to ever admit that he is cold or that I was right to suggest a jacket!! LOL!! But, I do go with the natural consequences approach too, so out he goes in his outfit choice. I am sure he is cold, but I know he won't ever tell me that he is! LOL! And ya know, he survives the cold just fine. Now, I wonder what he is thinking when I sound just like his grandma who used to say "What if the car/bus breaks down and it is cold/snowy/rainy out and you have to get out and help push/walk 2 miles to get to school???" LOL!
The book looks so cute, and the picture even looks a bit like Joy (with hair, of course). Does Rose ever attempt to read the book to Joy? Did she get any reaction/response from Joy at the moment she gave it to her? that is wonderful about the word "book." I will hope that the word doesn't disappear right away!
-AuntieS/ARatK
I have often heard that the bind between sisters is something sacred...
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