On Sunday on our way to church we had a pleasant surprise.  For some reason a bunch of balloons had flown across the field and got caught in our spruce trees.  Daddy stopped the car so that Momma could get the balloons, much to the delight of the two littles.  On the way to church they had great fun with the helium filled balloons and were looking forward to playing with them when we got home.  There were four of them, three red hearts and one "happy birthday" one.  Someone must have gotten them for a Valentine birthday gift.  Perhaps they were tied to a mailbox to welcome them home.  Either way it was a free gift to our kids who were thrilled.  They played with them all the way to church and back home again.  Imagine my horror when trying to get Mark out of his car seat and gathering up all the things that needed to come into the house, when the balloons left my grasp and floated up into the tall maple tree.  At first it did not seem too insurmountable as Mommy rushed into the house for a walking pole that would reach up to where they had lodged.  Upon my return however a gust of wind had caught them and carried them way up out of reach.  It was my fault and Momma was especially sad and angry at herself for not being careful enough. No amount of ruminating would have brought them back down.  I had to go and tell the kids that the balloons were well out of reach and that they could not have them.  Their reaction was priceless. "Awwwh....that's ok Mom, it was an accident".  What?  No tears?  No hysterical crying?  No whining?  No declarations of how unfair it is?  No reprimands?  They simply went off to find something else to play with.  I was left to reflect on what would my reaction have been if one of them had let the balloons go by accident.  Would I have chastised them?  Would I have given them the devil for not being more careful? Would I have berated them for the fact that they could no longer play with them because they had been careless?  Would I have ranted on and on about it"?  Likely the answer to all of the above would be "yes".  As humiliating as it is to admit it, I would not have been as generous spirited towards them as they were to me.  I know in the end I would likely have apologized to them for inflicting the ranting and ravings on their head but it would have been after the damage had been done.   So today I want to thank my children for a lesson well taught.  I will not forget your kind spirits and acceptance of things that cannot be changed.  Momma has learned a very good lesson taught to her by some very wise children.  Accept with grace that which cannot be changed.  Forgive those who make mistakes as they are only human.  Look for joy in other things when what you want is not to be had.  Thank-you children for your wisdom.  I am so humbled by you.  Momma will see to it that you get other balloons soon.  You deserve them and so much more!

 Yep, that is way out of my reach.  Drats and double drats.  Now I have to go confess what I have done to the kids.
 Four balloons for the kids to play with, but now way out of reach.

 By morning there was only one lonely red balloon still stuck up in the tree.  The others had broken free and floated off to surprise someone else.  Bye, bye red balloons!  Brings a song to mind...Ninety-nine Luftballons (Nena)