Thankfully, You Carol in the Dark

Issa goes to the absolute best school. In the spirit of the holidays, they sent a letter home last week announcing that they would be caroling through various neighborhoods last night, and our neighborhood was one of them. Issa could hardly contain herself.

So...after dinner the kids and I set off to the first stop in the neighborhood. Thankfully, it was dark because I tripped over a rock or something and went down like a ton of bricks. My dear, sweet children didn't laugh. They helped me up and we continued on our way. I knew my knee was killing me, but my pants were not ripped or soaked in blood so I thought I was probably okay.

We got to the first location, and both kids jumped and clapped as the bus pulled up and the principal, teachers, and other staff poured off the bus. Ironically, we were the only people who had come to the first location, so after two songs they invited us to ride with them on the bus to the second location. Both kids were ecstatic. Issa got to sit on the bus with her teacher, who is the most fabulous human being on earth, and Evan got to ride a real school bus. I love how it's the simplest things that absolutely thrill my kiddos.

We arrived at the next corner, sang and laughed for about fifteen minutes with a big group from the neighborhood, exchanged Christmas hugs all around, and then set back off for home.

By this point, I knew I was in trouble. I told the kiddos that when we got home mission one was checking my knee, and when we walked through the door Issa kindly pointed out there was blood on my sock when I popped my shoe off. Awesome.

Issa ran for bandaids; Evan ran for a washcloth and towel. I crumpled on the kitchen floor. Yep, I had a scrape that rivals that of any elementary kid in the summer. By the time I got myself all cleaned up and bandaged up, the kids were patting me on the back and Evan was explaining he knew just how I felt since he fell at Thanksgiving. Issa announced I just needed to think about happy  things, so they started reliving the highlights of the evening. It was so sweet.

I love that we live in a community where the school comes into the neighborhoods to sing with families. I love that the evening ended with hugs all around. And I love that I have such empathetic children. I do not love that I still have not out grown my klutzy nature.