Today was a day to remember on so many levels and was shared with my "partner in crime" in this life we know as "motherhood". It started off as a normal Wednesday morning, or so we hoped! My sister-in-law, Dawn-Marie, or as I like to call her one of my actual "sisters", had dropped off Julie so that Emma and she could walk to school together. With a frazzled look about her I questioned her on what could possibly be the matter?!! Turns out the kids had a Remembrance Day Assembly at which they would be singing and it was very important that we attend. Not knowing that the kids were performing we hadn't really planned on going. The girls headed out the door, Emma in her Sparks attire and promises of seeing them soon. The girls told us it was first thing in the morning, and we kind of thought it would be around eleven, but they insisted it was not. Dawn-Marie called the school twice to try and find out what time it was but there was for some reason no answer. So off we go to the school at 8:45, only to run into a teacher that told us it was at 10:45. Okay then. Back to my place for coffee where we discussed our next plan of attack to get back to the school with all the little ones in tow.
With fifteen minutes to spare Dawn-Marie gets a phone call from Julie that she must be in her Brownie uniform in order to march in with her troop to kick off the assembly. Normally that would have been okay but as luck would have it, the baby was still sleeping and "Bam-Bam" was still at his Wednesday morning activity not leaving extra time to fly into the school and get Julie changed. So a quick phone call to me and between the two of us, managed to get her changed and marching in on time! PHEW!
If you can remember what it's like to have little ones you know how hard it is to keep them quiet especially during such an important event. That being said, our presence was well known as soon as 11:00 hit. Silence covered the gymnasium for the respectful moment of silence for our fallen soldiers. And a moment was all Bam-Bam could take. "BASKETBALL AUNTY!" he shouts as he points to the nets around the gym. "Yup," I whispered. "Sshhh...let's be quiet." "NO SSSHHH!" he shouts back. Trying hard not to laugh I pretend I didn't hear him.
We got through the ceremony, barely. Kept him busy with candy and a quick walk to the potty, the kids did pretty good overall. Despite Bam-Bam telling the kids to be quiet as they sang O Canada, and God Save the Queen! It was a good, successful day I would say! The girls sang with their class and did us proud, for a moment we forgot just how much of an effort it was to get there with little ones and missing uniform!
Emma got home from school and again I told her what a great job she did and how proud I was of her. Elise gave her a high five and off she went to unwind from her day. I was in my room folding laundry when Emma comes in and says, "Mom, I'm really sad right now." Me thinking she's going to say she's sad because she won't be in school for the next five days, I quickly say, "Oh yeah...why?" Her big brown eyes well up with tears, her chin and her lip quivering she says, "I'm sad for the soldiers. The ones that died." Well open up the flood gates of your mother's heart why don't ya? WHAM! I'm in there with her lip quivering, tears flowing I grab her and give her a big squeeze. "Emma, you have the biggest heart I have ever seen on such a little girl."
I was impressed that she actually understood what Remembrance Day really means. She said that the soldiers died for us to have peace and so that we can live here. And more tears flowed from her eyes, I held her tight and rubbed her back. "Thanks Emma for having a big heart and for loving even a perfect stranger and being thankful for what you have."
She left my room and came back in with a paper that read, "Soldiers thik you" (Soldiers thank-you). "Mom I want to give this to a soldier, can we find one?"Shivers ran up my spine as I hugged her and kissed her on the top of her head. She has always been an emotional girl, connected with others in such a unique way. I try hard to help her grow with and learn about when and how to use these emotions but today she showed me that her heart is her heart, and I wouldn't change a thing. A day that began in a bit of an uproar, ended with a life lesson from my six year old. Never forget, never forget, never forget.
