better than a bitty baby

Every day, I pick up a bundle of energy from Kindergarten. Her name is Ellee and her personality is unmistakeable! Regardless of the fact that I saw her only 3 hours earlier (it's 1/2 day Kindergarten) she runs to me and squeals, "Mommy!!" as though we've been apart for weeks. She leaps into my arms, gives me a bear hug and begins rambling on about her morning.

Every. Single. Day.

And it never gets old!

Yesterday she was particularly bouncy because she had received a special gift from a friend at school and she couldn't wait to show it to me. With great pride, she unclenched her fist and revealed a shiny new quarter. To her, it was a million dollars! She was so excited about this gift from a friend and began making plans for the money as we drove away from the school.

"I could buy some gum from a gum ball machine with it!"

"Or maybe get a toy at the store."

"Mommy, let's buy some Christmas presents with it."

Her ideas swelled and it became more apparent that she really has no comprehension of money and the cost of things around her.

Finally she decided she would save the money and add it to her "American Girl Doll Bitty Baby" fund. She's been saving money since the summer to purchase one when we go to the American Girl Doll store in Atlanta in a few weeks.

"Good choice," I thought - be wise with that money.

Her grand ideas of saving were brought into question quickly as we made a stop at Wal-Mart on our way home. She retrieved the quarter from her backpack and held it tightly in her little hand as we got out of the car.

"Just in case I see something I really want, Mommy."

She began spurting off all these elaborate ideas of what she could do with the money in the store. She was so excited because she was the only one her little friend had given something to! The quarter had made her day!

As we approached the front of the store, we could hear the distinct sound of the Christmas season - the Salvation Army bell ringer! We smiled at each other and without saying a word, we knew what the other was thinking - It's finally Christmas time!

Then something happened that still has me choked up even as I type...

When we got to the front, Ellee let go of my hand and walked right over to the kind man ringing the bell. Without a moment of hesitation or doubt, she joyfully dropped the quarter (which held such a greater value for her) from her white knuckled hand into that red bucket and told the man "Merry Christmas."

My heart welled with emotion and I cried right there standing in Wal-Mart. She grinned at me and said, "Mommy, don't cry. Poor people who don't have anything are more important that Bitty Babies."

"You are right baby girl, you are right."