super spethal

I have a headache, so this is gonna be short if you're lucky and nonsensical too.

The kids had their childcare photos and dressed up as Batman and Superman - Kynan his usual stylish self and Stella all pretty in pink. 

The photographer didn't allow parents in, which is how i'd be too if i were taking photos of little kids... haha but i wonder what their pictures will turn out like. Lord knows they should be comfortable in front of a camera by now hehe...

We dropped Kynan off at childcare after we stopped in at the shops - and got stopped by another in center fundraising sign up thingo. 

I should stop smiling at people when they smile at me. haha... i should have used the 4 kids as an excuse to just keep walking.

Actually... nah... there's no reason for me to not return a smile, or to say 'Sorry, no time.' We weren't in a rush.

I can't say no, so we now give a monthly donation to the Prince of Wales hospital- in the form of automatic tickets into a monthly draw. 

The girl whose first day it was, kept telling me she really hoped i'd win the house. I really deserved it. Haha... i hope so too girl.

I smile and collect my cards, my kids, my handshakes. 

The kids are used to my stopping and talking to strangers, i'd planted them on the floor with a donut each - they had no interest in what i was doing.

I do some mental arithmetic - round up some numbers... shrug. 

The day before we had gone a walking - and a lady collecting for breast cancer in a different shopping center had smiled at us. My line of kids with their hands 'stuck together' in their snapbacks and jordans.

I stop- the line stops. 

Che spots the bucket the lady is holding first. He lets go of hands and holds out his little palms to me.

I smile and grab a handful of coins from my bag.

Jacie dances 'me too, me too!'

Stella waits her turn. They run over to the smiling lady.

Look at this she says to her colleague. How adorable.

They drop their coins in.

This calls for a hi five!! The lady bends down and they each slap her hand.

Stella giggles.

We wave and rejoin hands snaking our way to another shop to a chorus of Byeeeeeee!!

I've never really been able to ignore people when they try to talk to me, unless i'm truely busy- the line 'can i just have one minute..' always gets me.

What's one minute. How many people have ignored you today already? 

Sure, have my minute.

hehe the minute is always longer than one. 

As much though, as i sometimes tell myself - no just keep walking... we can't afford it... there's this part of me that looks at these kids - and i hear the 'Mum/Aunty can i get this?' so often -and i'm so well aware of the excess we live in - that my sense of balance tells me i can afford this- and then some.

As much as their dad rolls his eyes, i know he loves that his kids will grow up - not being able to walk away and ignore a smile and a request for just one minute. They'll see the people with the buckets, that everyone else pretends not to, instead of sidestepping and shaking their heads...

They'll stop. They'll smile. They'll listen.

All it takes is sometimes a bit of change... and a minute of their time.  :)