Miguel was a bit restless this morning, even though I had set aside time to do some school stuff with him.  Usually he attacks his worksheet pages with gusto, but this time he was not motivated.  I suggested he do his coloring page, but he whined at me that he didn’t have any colored pencils to use, and that he couldn’t find green anywhere.  I offered to help him look for some colors, but he persisted that there were none to be found.  Finally I stopped what I was doing and scolded him a bit for not even giving me a chance to look before he declared me a failure.  I sifted through the pencil drawer and realized that he was right…there was a dearth of colored pencils.

Suddenly I remembered a secret stash in the basement.  I turned to Miguel and said, “You rescue Lilly off the stairs while I run to the basement.  I’ll be right back.”  Miguel was intrigued, so he gladly went and fetched his sister off the stairs while he waited for me.  I was back in a flash with a brand new box of colored pencils in my hand.  (I had purchased them last year on clearance at Meijer, and was saving them for “someday”.)

Miguel’s whole demeanor changed instantly.  Brand new pencils?  All neatly sharpened?  What could be better???  He was ready to color!

Those pencils kept the younger children entertained for quite a while, and they were well worth having saved all this time.