This is Why I Love Them!

I have to be honest here.  For the better part of each day, my kids drive me nuts!  With three kids so close in age in a small house, they seem to  fight, bicker and whine ALL. THE. TIME!!  Sometimes I can keep patient and let them work it out and intervene when necessary.  At other times, the constant complaining grates on my last nerve (especially after I just took the time to do a project or activity with them ~  arggggh! )

I love them, I truly do, and I couldn't imagine my life without them.  However, there are those days that are harder than others.  A lot of times, it's on one of those rough days that they do something that just makes me stop, take notice and think, "This is Why I Love Them!"

Yesterday was one of those rough days.  The kids and I had been home with each other for several days on Spring Break.  We were stuck at the house waiting for a repair man.  They were bickering because they didn't want to play together, then whining that they were bored when they were playing separately.  After lunch, I sent them out into the backyard to get out of my hair before I lost it to get some fresh air and run around.

After a few minutes, they started excitedly calling for me to come outside, quick!  I came out to find them holding this little guy...

 

It's a skink and basically looks like a fat worm with legs and a head!

All fighting ceased and they jumped into action!  

The girls got a plastic container and immediately started making a home for "Sammy" complete with a moss floor, dandelion decorations and a bottlecap of water for a "spa".   

My son ran inside, got on Ask Kids on the computer to research what skinks like to eat.  He wrote down the list and the three kids started discussing what they should make for his first meal at his new home.  ( They decided on bananas and cucumbers, because the insects would be too hard to catch! )  

They worked together so nicely and with such joy, I couldn't help just watching them and feeling glad that I've been blessed to be their mother.

Watching to see if he'd gobble up his banana.  ( He didn't!)

The researched list of the dietary favorites of a skink!

Of course, the fighting resumed within an hour and the skink was dead by this morning, but I enjoyed the moment while it lasted!