Never underestimate children and the true meaning of Christmas

Since having children I'm a sap. (Thanks @AnneLouiseC for pointing that out for me on twitter.)
I get emotional over the slightest things, especially at Christmas. (Yes, I'm the one tearing up at the Santa Claus parades... sigh)

Here's how today's moment went (as told to me by a co-worker).

Background info:
The local shopping mall teams up with the police service and school board to offer a day of shopping & dining for about 40 children each year at Christmas time. (The children are generally those who would be in some way "disadvantaged" and could benefit from the positive experience.) The police escort the students to the mall, act as chaperones for the shopping event, and generally just provide a good role model to the students.

I had the honour of nominating my school's candidate for this program this year. I thought about the students in my class and got stuck on one particular little guy. While he doesn't lack material goods, I thought he was someone who could benefit from the "role model" aspect of the experience. And, he's someone who I know would truly appreciate the opportunity and remember it for years to come.

Well, my little man went to the event. A staff member drove him to the mall, and while in the car, she was asking him if he had a list of things he'd like to buy with the $100 gift certificate. He indicated quite clearly, that he would be buying something for his mom, and his dad for Christmas. My co-worker reminded him that he should have something in there for himself, as well. He agreed quietly and away they continued on the ride.

They made it to the mall. He was merrily and proudly on his way through the mall with his escort/buddy/role model for the day. At the end of the event, Mister was no where to be found. My co-worker was waiting and waiting. No sign of him. Then, out of the corner of her eye she saw him coming. They waited for some prizes to be drawn and then, as it was time to leave, she motioned that he was forgetting his jacket.

"Um, just wait. I have to go somewhere with these 2 guys (his policeman escort/buddy and another person)."

A little while later, he came back... beaming, but unassuming as well.

See, Mister took the $100 gift certificate and went on the shopping trip through the mall and bought not one thing for himself. He spent the $100 on gifts for his mom and dad and sister. Not one gift for himself. Nothing. He's 12 years old.

His escort/buddy for the day was so touched by this act of selflessness, that he and another escort both took him to a store and bought him an NHL jersey & hat; so he'd have something of his own... and in a way to express their pride in what he had so selflessly done.

But, wait... it doesn't even stop there! Each child was given a stocking full of gift certificates, gifts, etc. One of the gifts in his stocking was some kind of perfume. He asked my co-worker what it was. She told him, "perfume. Your sister or mom would probably appreciate that, you know." He continued looking through the stocking.

When he was finished, he took the perfume, held out his hand, and offered it to her saying, "You know, I really appreciate you driving me down here, today. Thanks."

With tears in her eyes, she assured him that his sister would love to have it, but "thanks."

That, folks, is one of the reasons I'm a sap at Christmas.
That will probably go down as one of my proudest teaching moments.
That is the true spirit of Christmas.

Soundtrack of My Life

Every year I do this little project with my 6th grade classroom music students; I ask them to think about their lives thus far -- the milestones, important moments to them, etc. Then we take some time looking at movie soundtracks & how they really help to tell the story. The whole unit culminates with them creating the soundtrack of their lives (which is only 12 years, but it's as cute as hell!)

So, why not? Here's the soundtrack of my life thus far: (a few more than 12 years worth)

1. Theme song to Mr. DressUp: my earliest memories as a child are watching Mr. DressUp everyday and wanting to be able to draw as well as him
2. Tell My Ma -- The Rankin Family: Growing up in Cape Breton made the Rankin Family a staple cassette in the car. That, and our upbringing with copious amounts of fiddle music, step- and squaredancing!
3. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun -- Cyndi Lauper:  a simple summation of my elementary & junior highschool years; Great Friends, many sleepovers, good, clean, giddy fun!
4. To Be With You -- Mr. Big and/or Unloved -- Jann Arden: ugh. Unrequited teenage love, broken & mended-the-next-day hearts, too many tears, too much wasted time.
5. Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town -- Pearl Jam:  first boyfriend in university, good parties, "man these guys can sing", just love this song and the memories of being on my own it holds!
6. Fast as I Can -- Great Big Sea: When hubs and I started dating, I was 18 & he just turned 25. It was a whirlwind of emotions, grown-up emotions, and learning how to find myself in the chaos of my life at that point. Thinking about it all makes me smile.
7. I Love You Period -- Dan Baird: Aside from being an English major in university, I really thank, and do believe that if it wasn't for me dating hubs at that time, Lord knows what path I would have taken in my life! Plus, my soul-searching led me to get an education degree as well!
8. Feels Like Home -- Chantal Kreviazuk: Our first dance at our wedding
9. 45 Years -- Stan Rogers: The other song we wanted to dance to at our wedding, but the DJ didn't have it... so... we play it every year on our anniversary. I once even had it played for him on CBC Radio on our anniversary.
10. Butterfly Fly Away --Miley Cyrus: Although this is a new song, everytime I hear it I think of my first pregnancy, which ended in a miscarriage. My little butterfly...
11. Daughters -- John Mayer:  It took a lonnnng time to finally get pregnant again & meet our daughter. Wow. Life has never been the same. (And I can thank her for introducing me to the Miley song above; serendipity?)
12. You Are My Sunshine -- For 6 months, this was the one thing that could make DD stop crying. WEIRD!
13. Taladh Na Beinne Guirme (The Blue Mountains Lullaby) -- Jeff MacDonald: My minor in university was Celtic Studies / Gaelic Language. My friend, Jeff, is one of the people I look up to the most when I think of me learning the language. He wrote this lullaby in Gaelic & hubs and I played it nonstop for DD when she was going to bed each night. It's truly beautiful, even if you can't understand what he's singing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRvh3wrPc78
14. Bog a'Lochain / Athole Cummers set -- Ashley MacIsaac:  Again, my love of traditional fiddle music and my Cape Breton upbringin shines through here. When DD wasn't listening to the above lullaby, she was listening to fiddle music. This particular tune Bog a'Lochain has become her favourite; she calls it her tune. And nothing warms my heart more than when she & hubs sit down with their fiddles playing tunes. While she can't get the notes right yet at only 4 years old, I can tell you that the music is in her (as the old folks would say!) http://www.amazon.com/gp/recsradio/radio/B000007QX7/ref=pd_krex_dp_001_006/176-1867206-0058811?ie=UTF8&track=006&disc=001
15. Come Rain or Come Shine -- David Francey -- While this is a love song, so to speak, when I hear it I think of the tiring nights and days leading up to & following DS's birth. He wasn't a great sleeper & I would be so frustrated, and tired, and at my wit's end, that I would sing this over and over; cuz we all know that even though you're so tired and done, you can't help but look at the little face of the bundle you're holding in your arms and feel such love.

So, these are my moments thus far in my life. This is my soundtrack of my life.

Cause these are the days worth living
These are the years we're given
And these are the moments
These are the times
Let's make the best out of our lives -- The Calling