My Angel Was a Not-So-Secret Santa

We woke to a monumental snowstorm. The view from my bedroom window was a white haze. "You'd better cancel that appointment for this morning," my husband warned. I assured him that we would be just fine driving to the doctor. My morning was going to be busy and the addition of wet, slippery, snow packed roads raised the stress level nearly to the limit. 

After shooing my husband and two older children out the door, I began to get ready to start my busy morning. I asked my five-year-old Aiden to get dressed, put on socks, brush his teeth and make his bed. To my surprise, he was already half-way through that list.

We loaded into the car and I explained to Aiden that Keelie needed to see the doctor and would probably get a shot. I also told him that I needed to talk to the doctor. I didn't even have to ask him to behave. He was perfect. He didn't even make a peep while I was discussing my daughter's issues with the pediatrician. 

After the appointment we headed to the store to pick up a few Christmas items that I hadn't been able to previously mark off the list. Then on to the post office--we all know what a chore that is. I needed to package and mail three different mailings. One to California, one to New York and one to Switzerland. Keelie was only locked into her stroller half-way and began pushing herself around the tiny post office with one leg. Aiden ran and grabbed the stroller before Keelie could upset a display of shipping boxes. He even held the doors for me while I pushed the stroller out of the post office once we had shipped our packages.

We still had one more stop and the snow had begun to fall heavily again, but we made it safely to my friends house where I needed to deliver a gift, (I ran a completely red light on the way. Luckily no one was hurt).

"Will you take long?" Aiden asked as we pulled into my friend's driveway. I cringed because that question is usually followed by whining and demanding from a child who dose not want to be left in the car. I told him I would try to make it quick and he said okay. That's all. No whining or demanding that I hurry.

When I returned to the car after visiting with my friend at her door for a minute, Aiden was happily talking to his little sister who only responded to him by staring at him while sucking her thumb.

"Thank you for being so good this morning," I told him. "You have been perfect and I really appreciate that."

Aiden answered me by saying, "I was being a Secret Santa." 

Santa he was. He had given me just what I wanted: an angel.