Gratitude Day 5: Beds

Lately my boys have developed a fear of the basement.  I have patiently (sometimes) tried to help them through this problem. I think I have finally found a solution but that is something for another blog.  I have explained to them how fortunate we are to have a nice house and that we need to be grateful for it even the basement.  I have explained that children all over the world don't have beds, homes, basements, and they are lucky boys.  This has been a frustrating problem for all of us.  It is never fun to have to boys climbing over you every night because they are scared. 

Yesterday, I went to Jack's school to help in his classroom.  There are a few students in the class who really struggle with their reading.  One of these little boys, although he is naughty, I really like him.  This boy gets no help at home with school work.  We were talking and I was telling him he could practice reading at night even if he just did it on his own.  I told him how Jackson will sneak a flashlight and read under the covers of his bed.  His reply was that he has to sleep on the floor.  They haven't had a chance to get him a bed yet.  I held back my tears and tried to keep helping him.  All day yesterday I couldn't stop thinking about this boy.  For two days I have been trying to figure out how I could help this little boy but more than that I have been thinking how blessed we are even for things that seem ordinary and simple and how I want my boys to have some understanding of how the rest of the world lives. We are going to try harder at being grateful as a family for all of our abundance, especially the little things.  So today I am thankful for my bed.