Mischief Maker and the New Me

I got glasses in 2nd grade.  I immediately began a serious dislike for them.  It all started when my little friend (who was a boy) saw me on the first day of school and proclaimed loudly, okay, he yelled down the hall "Ewww!  What happened to you?!"  Who would like their glasses after someone says that to you?

Say to anyone who wears glasses and doesn't like them, "why don't you like your glasses? You look great in them!" and they will have an answer similar to the above scenario. 

I relate that story so that you may understand how excited I was in 7th grade when I got to wear contacts.  Yes!  No more "four eyes", no more sliding down when playing sports, no more...whatever other negatives come with glasses-wearing (and let me tell you, I can list quite a few).  Freedom in contacts, that's what I say.

And I relate all of the above to tell you this:  today Daniel (my two year old) wandered away from the rest of us for a while.  Why haven't I learned that when a toddler is quiet, something is amiss?  I guess he washed his hands, which in itself can be quite an adventure, and during the washing he saw my contact case sitting innocently on the counter.  So he opened it.  And he washed it.  And my contacts were in it.

Some time later when I showed him the case and asked where my contacts were he happily led me to the bathroom sink and showed me the drain.  Of course they're down the drain.

This is what I'm thankful for:  I didn't get upset with him.  I remembered: he's two.  I did sigh, but I told him, "don't touch Mommy's contacts."  Of course, some people might recommend a consequence, but I'm okay with a gentle reprimand.  He didn't really know he was doing something wrong (as evidenced by his prancing happily to the sink to show me where the contacts went).  And I made a mental note that I shouldn't have left them on the counter.  I should have hid them somewhere very sneaky.

Two children ago, I wouldn't have been so calm.  I fear I would have been Mean Mommy.  I don't like who I was then.  I like the journey I'm on.  I like who I have become as I have more children.  I'm thankful that God has brought me to a place where I don't get upset when things like this happen, generally speaking. 

And now I get to work on my vanity a little more.  Wear some glasses.  Thankfully, I've come a long way since second grade, and even like my new glasses a little bit!  (But contacts are in the near future!!!)