Hearts of Gold

I leaned down to pick up the 100th piece of paper off the ground in one of my kids rooms, grumbling all the while, and it was in my hands to crumble up when I turned it over and realized it was a picture of a big heart and it had my name on it.  Then I walked out in the hall and I looked at our bedroom door and I saw a sign that Gabby had made that was a beautiful flower with two sides that I could turn one way to let people know I was sleeping and the other way when I woke up. As I walked down the hall to the kitchen passing all these little pieces of paper I noticed my grumbling voice started to subside just a little and a small smile started to take form.  Sure we kill half a rainforest a day, but my kids are spreading the love.  The first thing they think about doing for someone is drawing a picture or giving them a note.  Is that really so bad?  


With the first child I kept every single scrap of anything she laid a crayon on.  I believed everything to be a work of art. A true van Gogh.   Well, ok, that last part hasn't changed. But throw in a few more kids and I have just had to be more select.  It's tough though.  You have all the pictures they draw where there is their rendition of the entire family.  Or the picture of the heart and your name is in center. Come on now. What are you heartless?  How do you take that one to the recycle bin?  When they are driving you crazy, sometimes it's the simple glance to the magnetic board seeing that picture they poured their heart into with a smiley at the bottom, that pulls you from the edge.


Last night we were having a long evening.  Blame it on spring, first week back from spring break, who knows.  The two oldest were not being nice to the baby, the oldest one lied to her Dad, etc, etc.  Needless to say,  I was happy when I heard snores coming from all rooms.  A new day came and in amongst the hustle and bustle of the morning I saw a white heart taped to our glass doors in our room that simply said, "sorry Dad."  Gabby had either gotten up sometime in the night or early in the morning and tip toed in to place it so Rick would see it.  Yes, the lying is horrible but the core of that kid is pure gold.  


I guess all these little pieces of paper help remind me that even when they are acting up or not being nice to each other, these are three of the most loving kids I have run across.  So when I find these pieces of paper, sure I throw away some.  I have to, my house is only so big.  But I have to really stop and think about it because I know a little piece of them went into that creation.  A little piece of their heart.  Something I am so grateful for.