Priceless Simplicity

When I woke up this morning and came down to the kitchen,

I saw this.

My farmer and Violet must have had breakfast together and were up at the barn feeding the animals.

Violet is the oldest:

She's the boss.

She's opinionated.

She's the tattle tale.

She's quick and helpful.

She's super smart, and absurdly competitive.

She's the watcher, the questioner, the thinker.

And she's also

the queen of celebrations.

When there is a birthday, anniversary, or holiday of any kind,

she's planning for it and counting down the days til it comes.

She already has her April fools jokes thought out

and tried a few of them,

which I have to remind her

aren't so funny if they aren't on the actual day.

She had this card made for my Farmer 3 weeks ago

when she found this old work patch

in the cloth bag of clothespins.

She had it all figured out last night,

her dollar store gifts carefully wrapped,

that she was going to get up with her dad this morning for his birthday.

My farmer told me he was awake when he heard her stir out of bed,

but he lay as if still sleeping.

She crawled through our room to check that he was still asleep,

tip-toed down the stairs,

got the bowls, cereal, milk, spoons out,

and when my Farmer came down,

she had breakfast ready and ate with him.

He was told to open his card,

and then he was given his gifts.

He unwrapped his watch, his gas grill fire starter, and his bag of pretzel M+M's.

It was still very early,

so my Farmer and she went down and watched an episode of Daniel Boone together

before they headed up to the barn to feed the animals.

It was raining...

and seeing her and her sweet kindness coming down the driveway

a few steps ahead of her dad

made me tear up

just a little

at what a kind-hearted person she has become.

It seems like just yesterday she was in her daddy's arms

 looking out the door at the farm in her diapers.

She had wanted to buy a card for his birthday,

but

I don't think Hallmark's could compare:

The love of a child:

a restless night of waiting for morning

for two bowls of cheerios,

some thoroughly taped gift packages,

and a card of pink and black child's handwriting

that has waited in her secret treasure drawer for weeks.

Priceless simplicity.

Happy Birthday,

Daddy Farmer.

"Even a child is known by his doings,
whether his work be pure, and whether it be right."
Proverbs 20:11

Linked to: A Stroll thru Life: Table Top Tuesday


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