True Christmas Spirit.

Today I took Sophia to the Dollar Store to get some Christmas gifts for her brothers. She always accumulates quarters and dimes and nickels and puts them in her piggy bank, and she informed me last night that she wanted to use her own money to buy presents. She only had $3.50 so I figured the Dollar Store was our best bet. She found gifts that she is sure her brothers will love, and she took out her own wallet and I helped her count out her change. I'm sure we annoyed the stuffing out of everyone in line (and there was a LONG line) but I didn't rush her becuase it was a huge teaching moment.

After the Dollar Store we hit up Hobby Lobby so I could grab a few things and out front there was a bell ringer for The Salvation Army. Sophia asked me on the way in what they were ringing the bell for and I told her that they collect money in the red bucket for kids and families that don't have alot. On the way out of the store she asked for her wallet and had me help her count out fifty cents that she had left over from present buying. She walked herself right up to the man ringing the bell and said she wanted to put her money in the bucket. I let her do it all by herself and stood off to the side. He smiled at her and wished her a Merry Christmas and she said "You too! And I hope the families who don't have money have a good Christmas too!"

I told her how proud I was of her for buying presents for her brothers with her own money, and especially for giving some of her money to people in need. She looked at me and said "Well, momma, you can help whether you're small or big. Everyone needs to make sure that kids with no money have a good Christmas too. We can't just do nothing."

She has no idea how much she touched my heart, and even that measly 50 cents will mean so much to someone. THIS is the true spirit of Christmas. And I'm so proud of my 4 yr old that she realizes this already.