It's the Little Things

OK. Please allow me a moment to tell you how happy Matthew made me yesterday.

I *might* not have gotten out of bed right when my alarm went off, so I *might* have been a tad late getting into the shower. Which means I *might* have been a bit behind schedule when I got out of the shower. Which, of course, means I was probably a few minutes behind in going to wake up Matthew.
But when I peeked into his room, Matthew was already out of bed. In fact, he's been getting up on his own most days recently. (It's a nice change!) So I went back to my room to continue getting ready.
Some time later I went to the kitchen - just to remind Matthew that he probably ought to get into the shower. In the past, he has moaned about having to get out of his comfy position (He's usually snuggled up in a blanket.) but yesterday he hopped right up, rinsed his cereal bowl, and got into the shower.
Back in my room, I was listening to the water, waiting for Matthew to turn on the shower. (He has a habit of sitting in the tub under the hot water coming out of the spigot, and he completely loses himself.) I was just about to tell him to turn on the shower but as I raised my hand to knock on the bathroom door, he turned the shower on. So I went back to my room, making note of the time for purposes of knowing when he'd been in the shower "long enough".
I'd made my bed when I glanced at the clock and noticed five minutes had passed. Decided I ought to inform Mr. I-love-to-stand-under-hot-water that his time was up and he needed to turn the shower off now. But as I turned to walk out of my bedroom, I heard Matthew turn the shower off. And, I'm telling you, I got a great big smile across my face.

*I didn't have to drag Matthew out of bed.
*I didn't have to nag him to get into the shower.
*I didn't have to tell Matthew to turn the shower on.
*I didn't even have to tell him to turn it off!

Some moms might read these words and have no idea why they make me so happy. But those moms whose kiddos practically run from responsibility, who can't seem to stay focused on a task, and who somehow manage to bring their dear mother to her wits end with their inability to follow through - those moms will understand. It's the little things.
And sometimes the little things are HUGE.

Hang in there, you moms who understand me. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. *big grin*