Deep Inside There's a Sweet Heart

This morning John got up a little early, and either I'm still recovering from the trip or a cold, so I took a nap at 8am. While I was asleep, John told Buck that he'd like to take money out of his (John's) piggy bank to buy toys for the orphans. Buck said it wasn't something he just spouted off, he actually thought through it. I don't know where exactly that came from. I can think of a series of random events and talks that he could have possibly put together (possibly having to take money from his piggy bank to replace a toy of Scotty's we thought he lost, Mama and Daddy going to Peru to play with orphans, buying school supplies for kids that can't afford it), or maybe they talked about it at Grandma's camp? Anyway, as far as I can tell it was pretty random. Of course, if your child says that, you've got to immediately jump in the car and head to the store! We went to Target. He had said he wanted to get a big blue monster truck when I asked him what he thought the orphans might like. I took a little more than a dollar of change out of his piggy bank (he has no concept of money...cute, I asked him how much he thought we'd need and he replied "one"). Anyway, I gave him the change and told him to put it in his pocket to keep it safe. We looked at the matchbox cars, which I happen to know are just about a dollar. Of course, when he saw how cool they were, his tune changed a bit. He wanted to play with them. I reminded him that we were buying it for the orphans. He compromised and suggested he could share it with them. He also wanted to pick something bigger. I convinced him to pick one of the matchbox cars to buy with his money and let him pick a larger truck for me to buy. He was so excited to put it on the belt at the cash register. He really wanted to put his change on the belt, too, but I finally convinced him to give it to the cashier. I had him explain to her why he was buying it, and I explained that he came up with the idea all on his own. On the way out, I convinced him one more time that we couldn't open it because it was for the orphans. When we were in the car he asked if we were on our way to see them. I hadn't thought it through that far, and he got upset with me when I said they were probably busy and we'd take it to them later. I finally convinced him that we could put it in the mailbox and mail it to them. When we got home, he promptly took them and put them in the mailbox (of course I had to retrieve them behind his back so I can actually wrap it and get postage...details, details). Anyway, I know he doesn't really understand, but I can't help but give him some credit for wanting to help people that don't have parents, and I can't help but thank God for putting that sweetness in his heart and letting me see it.

Totally unrelated, in an hour I'm taking him on our first date to see his first movie on the big screen "Up". I am so excited!