I Owe You an Apology and a HUGE Thank You........

.......KIERSTEN!

And so this is how my day went.......

I have been running a hundred miles an hour getting things ready to go camping. I made green chili, chicken toastado burritos, potato soup, rolls, Chinese chicken salad and a dessert. I also packed 6 people. I've been packing the toy hauler with groceries, putting new sheets on each bed and trying to think of anything and everything that might make the trip with Mr. Grant easier. Oh and I had Stacy's two youngest, Brinner and Branton for 5 hours as well. Oh and the missionaries came over for about an hour! I tell you all this first so that you will know my state of mind when I tell you the rest of the story.......

While the missionaries were visiting with me, Kiersten and Logan got extremely hyper. They came into the family room wearing costumes and fighting each other with swords...........something I would expect from Logan, not so much from Kiersten. They just would not calm down..........so when the missionaries left I made them both sit in time out for 20 minutes because I was sooooo mad. I was more mad at Kiersten then Logan. I gave her a dang good lecture. After their 20 minute "cool down" time I was out in the toy hauler arranging things.

I had already made piles of clothes in each kids room and had the plastic totes that we use to store clothes in, when we camp, there as well. About an hour passed and I went to the boys room to start packing their clothes and much to my surprise they had been packed.........as had Kiersten's..........and Mr. Grant's. I answered the phone before I could find Kiersten to ask her about the good deed. Once I got off the phone this is what I found.....

Kiersten was washing Mr. Grant's bottles........without being asked.

I just couldn't believe after how grouchy I was towards Kiersten that she would do something so thoughtful and kind to help me out. It really did help me having the kids clothes all packed and ready to go. I went straight to her and picked her up and kissed her, told her how much I loved her, what a sweet and wonderful daughter she is. I also told her how sorry I was for how I yelled at her. I am trying to be better about saying I am sorry to my kids and just anyone when it's needed. I think the world would be a much better place if we adults said we were sorry more often. It's interesting to me to see parents insist that their kids say they are sorry when they do something knotty, but when an adult acts rude, unkind, grouchy, unthoughtful, or just plain mean I rarely see or hear an "I'm Sorry." I have made it a personal goal to apologize when needed............even when it's the simplest of errors I have made. I always regret acting grouchy, rude and unkind so I figure I need to start verbalizing my regret with an "I'm sorry". I make my kids apologize all the time and I figure it's about time I start holding myself as accountable as I do them. After apologizing to Kiersten, I told her I had bought so plastic crates to put all the Levi's in so the totes wouldn't be as full. I went on to do something else and later I noticed Kiersten had gone back to each of the totes and got out the Levi's and put them in the crates.........just like I had explained I was going to do. She also filled the dish washer and started it. It was such a learning experience for me! I really had been pretty mean to Kiersten about her behavior and she in return performed several acts of kindness. I am so grateful to have such a sweet, thoughtful and forgiving daughter. Thanks for helping me become a better person Kiersten!