Pizza! Pizza!

Lance is at stake meetings tonight so I decided to just pick up a few pizzas for dinner. You know, earn some mom-o-the-year bonus points with the kiddos. Surprisingly, they all wanted to come with me to pick up the pies. (Spencer and Josh often opt to stay home from quick trips like this.)

Anyway, on the way out everyone wanted to hold the pizzas, but I gave that honor to Spencer and Josh because I thought that would be the safest bet.

Bet lost.

Poor Josh tripped right outside the door and his box landed upside down.

D'oh.

I quickly went to his rescue, picking him and trying to help him feel better. He was so upset with himself! I kept trying to tell him it was okay, that it was just an accident, etc., but he found it hard to hear over me Spencer's moans and groans and beratings. "Why'd you do that, Josh?! That was the pepperoni, wasn't it?! I was gonna eat that!!"

GROWL.

I got poor Josh and the other littles into the car and then in no uncertain terms explained to Spencer that his reaction was NOT ACCEPTABLE and that it really was just an accident and not some crazy plan to ruin his life. (He is turning into something of a know-it-all, snotty teen. Not all the time, but it's like he's practicing for later... And while I certainly don't like this attitude on me, I turn into a momma bear when he acts that way toward his siblings.)

Anyway, everyone finally got into the car and was about to pull out when an older gentleman came running up to my window. He was wearing black leather, a ball cap, and a bushy grey beard. He was carrying a pizza.

I opened the door and he held the pizza out to me. He said he saw what had happened and wanted to help.

I was just about speechless. What a lovely, kind gesture! Midwest people really are the best people.

After lots of thank you's we pulled out and drove home. I thought "What a perfect teaching moment! What a great example of serving others!" I figured we'd have a great discussion about it and about how we can serve others.

And we started to.

And then pre-teen Spencer decided to add his two, very unnecessary, cents about what he thought about Josh's gracefulness.

GROWL.

After another, rather more heated, discussion about treating our family members with love and respect, we made it home and ate dinner.

I'm sure Spencer thought his pizza tasted squished, but I thought it tasted all the better. Kindness pizza = delicious.