I did my best

"I finished, Daddy. I did my best. I sink I did a good job."

.

I think she did, too, but not on the windows (though, for a four year old, she is well on her way to a lucrative career in home maintenance).

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A little while ago when we were at my midwife's house, Tessa took something. It was a small toy horse that she thought was wonderful. She slipped it into her pocket and brought it home. Ellie, upon discovering the deception, was all too glad to bring it to my attention.

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"Tessa stole from Claudette!!!"

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Tess came running out of the room, wide eyed and insisting, "I will gib it back!"

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"Yes, you certainly will." I agreed (insert lecture on honesty here).

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Today at our prenatal visit, Tessa brought the horsie to return to Claudette. I gave Claudette warning that Tessa was going to confess to her and apologize. I asked her to act serious and hold Tessa responsible, and not just say 'that's OK', as adults so often do to children.

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Tessa looked Claudette in the eyes, her face tense and her eyebrows knit together. The corners of her little mouth arced downward and trembled, but she mustered her courage.

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"I sahwy I stoled youh horsie." She whispered, her huge, beautiful eyes getting shinny with tears. The corners of her mouth pulled tight and her bottom lip tried hard not to surrender to the cry waiting behind it. I coached her through the rest, "Who is sad when we take things?"

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"Cwahdette."

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"Who else?"

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"Jesus."

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I glanced at Claudette, who's face mirrored almost exactly the sad little pout on Tessa's. She sweetly collected herself and with a warm smile, said, "I forgive you."

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Tessa nearly burst into tears until she looked into my face and saw me smiling back.

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I thanked Claudette and we climbed into the van. "You did a very good job, Tessa, I am so proud of you. You did the right thing and I know that was hard."

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Tessa smiled, and looked relieved.

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She did such a good job. I know that she will make much bigger mistakes in the future. I hope somehow in her heart she will remember this day, and her sweet little heart says,

"I did my best.".

.

.

***

(Oh, and by-the-by, Claudette says baby is great. The heartbeat was very boyish today, and I am making a little progress with the hundreds of contractions I have been having. At this rate, I will have the baby in, oh, say... 7 more weeks! Ha!)