I'm thankful for ....... #1

Several of the blogs I read are doing a daily post about the things they are thankful for. I think that is a fabulous idea. For me, it is so easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day things and forget to look at the bigger picture. Not seeing the forest for the trees.
Mason and I had a terrible, awful, horrible, worst day in his almost 4-years of life today. It was not one that I care to repeat or remember. I broke down and cried a few times it was so bad. I felt like I had failed. Failed him. Failed myself. Failed Eric. Just failed. Failed at teaching him how to have good behavior. Failed at teaching him there are consequences for bad behavior (because if I had succeeded at teaching him there are consequences, he surely would not have continued with the bad behavior, right?). Failed to find the right punishment. Failed to remain calm and cool under pressure. Failed Miles. Just failed.
(Yes, there is a point and I am getting back to the thankful part!! Hang with me!)
So, the first thing that I would like to share that I am thankful for is Mason. He challenges me. He makes me laugh (no, really!). He has a gentle spirit and a generous heart. He is so much like his daddy and that means that he will one day be an amazing husband, father and friend. He is a faithful friend and a doting brother. He loves to laugh. He is focused and will not move on to the next task until he is satisfied with the first. He has amazing manners and remembers to use them often.

I would like to share one story to illustrate his generous spirit. Mason's preschool class is doing a Christmas fundraiser - Go Nigeria! They are collecting dimes (one dime will feed a family for a day, I believe) to send to Nigeria. They sent home a pamphlet explaining the need and it had pictures of kids. I decided to use this as a teaching time and showed Mason the pamphlet and explained that the kids are hungry and do not have a pantry or refrigerator full of food like we do. We got down our spare change bucket and looked through it together for all the dimes. I was finished at that point. Mason had bigger ideas and a bigger heart. He insisted that we go get his piggybank and look through it for more dimes. He wanted to give the hungry boys and girls his money. If you know Mason, you know that he loves to get money (coins, he hasn't figured out that dollars are worth more yet!) and he loves to put it in his piggybank. We have never taken money out for any reason. He came up with the idea on his own. My momma-heart was so proud of him.
After the day we had, it did my heart so good to remember all the things I love about my big-boy. (And, if you have not seen him recently, he is HUGE!!) He is a handful and a challenge. But, I love him more than I can express. Thank you, Father, for blessing me with Mason.