An Unexpected "Mom" Paycheck

When you are a stay-at-home-mom,
"official" paychecks come about as often as coconuts grow in Kansas.
Not. very. often.

I coined this phrase, 'mom paycheck', when my children were young and would get complimented for their behavior
or for something kind they had done
or when they stood up for a family value on their own.

This week I got a mom paycheck from my daughter.

It was the end of school and she showed up at my job with a bouquet of multi-colored carnations.
They are my favorite flower and are my favorite color.
(I took some out and left them in my classroom.)

I, being the gracious mother I am, asked, "Oh, so what are these for?" 


The Director then came out and met my daughter and saw the flowers.
I explained where they were from and she said, "If my daughter brought me flowers I would wonder what she wanted or did wrong."
(I am glad I am not the only gracious mother.)

While I walked my daughter to her car, she sort of explained why she brought them, in the roundabout way that we communicate.
She then left, with me still not certain what prompted her kind act.


It was then that I saw the card.
It said simply, Thanks for everything.
Maybe that wasn't simple after-all.
Those words touched my heart!


 As I was walking back to the classroom I received a text from her that said,
"I guess i just realized with all the stuff moms put up with they need to be thanked"


My second mom paycheck in a row!


I am the richest woman alive!

Not to worry, I will still continue to write my $cents-less$ tips.

 (Oh wait, a substantial return on your (parenting) investment?  This was one of those cents-less tips!)

"Bread feeds the body, indeed, but flowers feed also the soul."  ~The Koran