Yesterday was a blur.
There was so much to do.
So many errands to run.
So many things to cross off my list.
Let me back up a bit and tell you – I was already a little disgruntled when the day began.
I already had so much on my plate and was looking forward to getting it all done before the kids got out of school because my kids are off Wednesday to next Monday – which is code for if it’s not done before they get out of school on Tuesday, it’s not going to get done.
But, I got an email from my daughter’s teacher late Monday afternoon letting me know that she was having a Thanksgiving Feast for the kids and she would love for me to come in and help out.
But, I had sooooo many things to do!
Why couldn’t she have let me know sooner!
Does she think I’m just sitting at home doing nothing all day – with all kinds of free time on my hands – that I can just drop everything at a moment’s notice to come into the classroom and help her?!
And what exactly is she planning to feed these kids for this “Thanksgiving Feast”? My girl is gluten free. She probably won’t even be able to eat much of the food that is being served. And I really don’t have time to make her something special on such late notice.
Like I said, I was disgruntled.
But I went in.
I was a little late.
But I was there.
Still bothered and slightly annoyed I walked into the classroom expecting to see my girl sitting there with sad eyes because she couldn’t eat much of the food. I was expecting to walk in and tell her not to be sad because I would take her somewhere special for an after school snack to make up for the fact that she didn’t get to eat any of the food.
Except I didn’t have to do that.
My girl’s teacher had provided a completely gluten free meal for all of the kids! Everything was gluten free – it was all safe for my girl to eat. She didn’t have to eat different food from everyone else. She was eating the same thing everyone else was eating. And she was so happy.
I got a little teary-eyed and did my very best to fight back the lump in my throat – because at that point I really just wanted to cry like a baby.
I had been such an ingrate.
My attitude about the whole thing was so horribly pitiful.
I wanted to kick myself.
Running around like a crazy woman trying to get everything crossed off my list so that we could have “the perfect” Thanksgiving…………………………………………..but our Thanksgiving is already perfect. It doesn’t matter if I get all the craft supplies put away so that I can set a pretty table. It doesn’t matter if I make a breakfast casserole the night before or if I don’t have time to bake multiple desserts; what makes Thanksgiving perfect is simply having a grateful heart.
A classroom full of happy second graders and a teacher that went out of her way to make them all feel included, special and loved – that’s something to be grateful for.
Yesterday was the best blur of a day I’ve had in a long time. My cup runneth over…….but sometimes I need to be reminded.
I wish you all a very warm and Happy Thanksgiving!
(*I shared the simple instructions for these Thanksgiving Trees over at The Chic Site.)
I love this! It's so easy to get caught up in the rushing around and looking ahead at what has to be done rather than looking at what we already have. How awesome of that teacher 🙂
And I totally will have to do that Thanksgiving Tree next year!