C. did a very noble thing this Fall.
When he went in for his 8-year checkup in September, the doctor pronounced him sound and of good health and was just about to release us when… the doctor asked how old L. (who was sitting quietly in his carseat nearby) was. “Almost 4 months,” I answered.
“Hmm…” The doctor glanced at the baby, then me, then C., then back at me. “We should think about C. getting a flu shot, since the baby’s too young to get one. You know, with all those germs floating around school… it just might be a good idea.”
C.’s eyes locked with mine. I had mentioned this possibility to him on the way to the appointment. I had a feeling that they might recommend he get a flu shot this year…just as a precaution for L..
C. took a deep breath, looked at the doctor and said, “Okay.”
Now, C. had actually never had a flu shot before, so this meant he’d have to get two – one the day of his appointment and then another one as a booster about a month later. But C. said to me, “I don’t mind doing it for L.. The pain of the shot is a lot less than how bad I’d feel if I gave him the flu.”
I don’t know if I’ve ever been more proud of him. We work on instilling all kinds of positive character traits in our kids and to see this particular one – self-sacrifice, a willingness to suffer a little pain for the good of someone else – was so heart-warming. My eyes were brimming with tears when he got that first shot, and then again last week when he got his booster.
(He claimed that the shots didn’t hurt a bit, but I rewarded him with special treats for both shots anyway.)
We all have many opportunities every day to make little sacrifices. We make dinner for our families even after a long day with a screaming baby, when we’d rather climb into a bubble bath. We try to make sure our husband’s first minutes at home are pleasant despite the fact that we had a miserable day at work ourselves. We clean bathrooms and fold t-shirts and make dentist appointments ad nauseum. We drag ourselves out of bed in the morning when we’ve got nasty head colds, just to make sure everyone gets off okay. We endure sleepless nights, soccer games in the rain, a crick in the neck from not moving when our kids fall asleep on our laps.
They may be little things, things that don’t hurt much at all, but they – like C.’s willingness to get a flu shot or two – show our love. They reveal our hearts. And they are the building blocks of this thing we call “family.”
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Little update: I received so many kind and encouraging comments on this post – thank you! And following advice from a few of you, I’ve submitted this post to this week’s Pass the Torch Tuesday.
Okay, this brought tears to my eyes this morning. At work, no less.
just another reminder that what we attempt to teach and instill in our children, matters!!!!! all the sacrifices we make, the things we consider to tiny to make a difference, they ALL matter —
Go Mommy – this was a touching post and a definite reflection on you!
Oh, bless his big brother heart! Were you so proud you wanted to burst? What a little man you’re raising. Well done, Momma.
This was so sweet, you’re obviously doing a great job instilling these values in your kids.
Oh, Katrina. This is such a great story. I have goosebumps, and tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat. Not just out of pride for C., but also for you as a mom, and from the encouragement you gave us at the end.
Sniff – what a great, brave kid. Good work, mama.
Katrina, that is so awesome. L. is very lucky to have such an amazing big brother who clearly adores him. Love that. Laura
This post was beautiful and brought tears to my eyes. And the love your C. has for his little brother is absolutely heart warming!
What a brave little boy!! I know you are proud!!
What a beautful story! It is encouraging to have those moments when everything you have poured into your children spills over into their words and actions.
You have a wonderful son. How very considerate, loving, thoughtful…Have you told your story to Kelli over at Pass The Torch? She has a whole “thing” at her site about catching kids being good. I think C. definitely qualifies!
Is it any wonder why our hearts burst with gratitude to God when our kids do the right thing? Thank you for the reminder of how wonderful it is to be part of a “family”.
PS…I have finished 3 books..but have taken time off from blogging.
what a great post. you are right, we do those even when we don’t want to! thanks so much
Katrina, of all the posts this one brought tears – the love of a big brothere for his little baby brother. Preciouos. I read this week, Elisabeth Elliot, “much of the work done very day is done by people who dont feel very well.” This was an example of a little boy doing some footwashing of sorts. xoxoxo
Katrina, I CAN spell. I have a big ole bandaid on my middle finger and typing is a bugger. Sorry for all the misspells.
Very touching post.
http://www.xanga.com/Tamarasa
You should be proud – he sounds like a great kid.
wow, what a brave and wonderful big brother. You’re raising some thoughtful children!
Thank you for honoring the daily sacrifices, they are so hard sometimes, but so worth it.
Katrina,
After a week like I’ve had with Caden, I needed this gentle reminder. It’s easy to become resentful of our role as mom instead of grateful for it. Thanks for sharing!
So true!
And way to be brave C.!!!
Katrina,
I love hearing about how well God is rewarding you and your husband’s efforts at raising Godly and thoughtful children.
It is great to hear how much he adores his little brother too.
You women really do get the brunt end when it comes to when family notices those little sacrifices. Please know that the husbands appreciate it even when we are too dense to mention it.
I’ve never met your C., but when I read this, I wanted to give him a big hug. What a great way to start out as a big brother!
A happy and restful weekend to all of you!
DK
http://aflyoverblog.typepad.com
I’m all teary! What a special moment to see the fruit of your (and God’s) work in him. Way to go C.!
This is a beautiful post. You should share it for Pass the Torch Tuesday.
Thank you for commenting on my Library loot post!
Thanks, everyone. I was really touched by all your comments, and I made sure to tell C. that I wasn’t the only one who was proud of him!
I’m so glad you’ve joined us this week for Pass the Torch Tuesday!. As I said before – fantastic post.