While the mother sleeps. . .the children play

In my time of rest, one of my dear, dear friends and co-workers came by with not only dinner which was mighty delicious, but kidnapped my children on a whim.

The day was not my best (I hadn't actually had a good day at this point) and by her mother's intuition or her generous heart or a combination of both, my friend Mattie came by with her super hero cape on.

She rounded up my children and was out the door in mere seconds. . .I still have so much to learn from her. She didn't just take my children out to let me rest, she took my three children on an adventure they still talk about today.

They went to her house to play with all her cool toys and see her dogs, but she didn't stop there!

No, brave Mattie took my three small can-not-swim-well children to a pool. A BODY OF WATER! I'm not brave enough to take my children to a pool, but Mattie is.

Little Sadie

Do you know how much work it is to take three small children to a pool. It's a lot of work. A lot of effort. A lot of staying on your toes so everyone comes home.

Addy and Sadie

After a week of them having to be quite and all the attention focused on me, they had a day of their dreams and made new friends with Mattie's grandchildren.

Brody

Addy still talks about Mattie dogs and how much she loves them. Addy is afraid of dogs. Mattie has big dogs. Addy I believed cried at the sight of Mattie's dogs. But oh how she loves them. . .in her mind.

Mattie also brought dinner, but I felt she should be recognized independently because she brought joy not only to my heart but my children's. Surgery is hard for the patient, but when the patient is a parent we should all be like Mattie and remember the children. They are scared, worried, and out of their comfort zone. They need the opportunity to be happy and carefree. I hope to remember this lesson the next time I hear of someone with children having surgery.

Mattie didn't have to take my children. She didn't have to make a field day of it. She just did. She did it expecting nothing in return. She refuses to take no for an answer and moves swiftly so you can't refuse her generosity. She is very persuasive. . .she's from Pittsburgh! She is an amazing mother, friend, grandmother, co-worker, role model, and Christian woman. I hope you all have a Mattie in your lives. Your life will be better for it.

Me and Mattie at the company Christmas party 2011