My Favorite Thing from Yesterday (3) - Cal Helped Ella

When Dan and I both go in to work, the Leatherkids are among the first to arrive at school for the day.  This is only significant to this story because, despite their 2-year age gap, they both start their day in Ms. Jennifer's room.  As more kids and more teachers arrive, the kids in Ms. Jennifer's room are escorted to their "proper" classrooms, or the rooms where they'll spend most of the rest of their day.

Before going to Ms. Jennifer's room, the kids need to de-coat and put anything they've brought in for the day in their cubbies in their proper classrooms; and Dan and I help our Leatherkids with that.  Not that we ever formally decided this, but more often that not, Dan helps Cal and I help Ella.  Cal's classroom is at the front of the building, and Ella's is closer to the back; so Dan naturally gets Cal to Ms. Jennifer's room and leaves before Ella and I arrive.  I give Cal a kiss and an "I love you," and then I do the same for Ella... a few times, at her request.  And then Ms. Jennifer asks both kids to wash their hands (unless Cal's already done so).

That's usually where it ends.  Yesterday morning, I witnessed one of those moments where you get confirmation that, somehow, Lord knows how, really, you must be doing something right with your kids.  It was a moment that was so sweet and tender that it would be something I'd recall many times throughout the day and just smile.

After I gave Ella her kiss and "I love you," I told her to "go wash her hands, please."

Ella responded, "Can Cal help me?"

I turned to Cal, who was already playing with a friend, and asked, "Cal, can you come here for a second, please?"  And he did.

I told Ella to go ahead and ask Cal her question, and she did, "Can you help me wash my hands, Cal?" (I love when she uses his name nicely.)

Without saying a word, he turned her gently toward the sink; and the two of them walked arm-in-arm toward the sink where he proceeded to help her wash her hands.  Ms. Jennifer whispered, "that is so sweet," and I responded with a smile and placed my hand over my heart, my symbol for pride.

I didn't stick around to watch the rest of the moment, but Ms. Jennifer took a video of it and included it in Cal's report for the day -- here's the video: