Sometimes Kids Do the Darndest Things...

Yesterday I was at my keyboarding happily typing away on my latest project. My youngest was asleep, my husband was asleep. No, it wasn't the middle of the night, in fact, it was the middle of the day - go figure. But hey, who can argue with free, quiet time to write?
At any rate my oldest arrives home from school. She quietly eats her after school snack and then comes upstairs. Uh-oh. This is it - the end of my writing zen. She said, " Mom, do you think that you could come and help me with something important?" Well, that leaves no room for no, so of course I tell her that I will gladly help. The keyboard gets a much needed rest and if it could, my computer would have breathed a sigh of relief.
So I go into my daughters room and ask her what it is that she needs help with. She said, " Well you know mom, I've been thinking..." ( Alarm bells begin ringing...) " I have so many wonderful things and some children have nothing. Especially at this time of year, it makes me so sad. Do you think that you could help me clean out some of my things and we could donate them?" What?? Where is my child? Oh wait - there she is, looking at me in earnest with those big green eyes of hers. In that moment I am so proud of her.
Of course I tell her I will help. We calmly and concisely go through all her stuffed animals and she chooses over half to "make new friends". She hugs and kisses each one and asks me to reaffirm that they will all go to good and loving homes - no one will poke their beaded eyes or anything like that. I duly nod and affirm that they will.
Then we move on the games, the polly pockets, and so many other things. She carefully selects those things that are nice but that she doesn't play with anymore. I went downstairs - got two boxes and we boxed it all up together. When we are done, she looks at me and says, " I hope that this will help bring a Christmas smile to children who might not otherwise have one..." and in that moment, just like the Grinch, my heart "grew three sizes that day."