Chivalry Is NOT Dead...

Chivalry is a term that dates back to the Knights of the Round Table and King Arthur's time. It's the concept of doing what is right, helping those in need, being kind, being thoughtful, and, if needed, rescuing beautiful (or not) damsels from fire-breathing dragons :)  For as long as I have taught, my students in Arthurian Romance or English 9 have been assigned a paper on the topic of chivalry and whether it still exists.

Of course, I KNOW it does. I live with one of the few remaining knights :)

He is a gentleman through and through, and so are my boys.

But sometimes it's nice to see another example--one completely out of the family or my comfort zone (because we all see the best in our own people, right?)

This past week I had the pleasure of participating in the Holiday Bazaar hosted by Andalusia Manor in Andalusia, Alabama. Thanks SalLee Sasser Williams and Tamala Hutcheson for thinking of inviting me! It was my first experience at something like this, and I learned a lot. Mama went with me and the company was so welcome. She helped customers and was my biggest fan :) Many of the customers who came through were employees of the facility, and others who visited brought their family members who reside there to shop or look around. Some people from the general public came in, and everyone was sooooo nice. But then there was one who just stood out...

I was standing behind the table and noticed someone coming in the door. At first, I had to look twice because, as Grace would say, the boy coming in looked just like "Mac Attack." (I think she may have a life-long crush on my former student--probably because he always should such chivalry to her.)

This young man wasn't alone. He was an employee of Andalusia Manor and was pushing one on the residents in a wheel chair. She was much, much older than he and I did not get the impression that they were family at all. I watched him the entire time he was in the room, and I so wished I could show my students this real-life example of chivalry.

He was so kind, so gentle, and so patient. He took his charge to every table. There were tables of jewelry, makeup, children's clothes (me!!), monogrammed bags, cookware, toys, Thirty-one items, Christmas wreaths, and Holiday decorations for sale. It was obvious that few, if any, of these things would be of great interest, but no one would have known that by watching him.

Mr. Knight-in-Shining-Armor stopped at each table and explained what was being sold. He even held up jewelry to her neck and ears and told her how good it would look on her. They stopped at our rack and he talked about embroidery and how everything was personalized. He took her to the makeup table and talked about lipstick and perfume. At the table selling decorations he talked about stockings and wreaths and Christmas. He was never in a hurry and wasn't the least embarrassed to be doing his job--his calling. 

I wish I had gotten his name so that I could mention it on here, but I didn't :( 
He certainly deserves to be complimented.

Andalusia Manor is blessed to have such wonderful people working with their residents, and the residents are certainly blessed to have such kind, caring individuals as this young man. I can only hope we have raised our boys to be as kind!

Thankfully Speaking...

There is a challenge going around on Facebook right now to post what you are thankful for every day in an effort to celebrate more of a thankful month than a thankful day (Thanksgiving). I think that is awesome. I wish I had time to do it. Or the brain to remember every day. But I get so bogged down in the "stuff" of life and sometimes don't even LOOK at Facebook except for ZiZi's page or to read messages someone has sent.

Carsyn is sleeping this morning and my day hasn't officially gotten started yet (even though I've been up since 4:30 A.M. and posted assignments, answered emails, finished  some projects, and washed a load of clothes). What a perfect time to reflect on what I'm thankful for.

• I'm thankful for my relationship with God and my church family. I don't know how people handle the hard things in life without God and church, and I'm glad I've never had to figure that out.
• I'm thankful for the amazing parents God chose to place me with. They are there for us all the time, always ready to do whatever we need and asking so little from us. My goal this year is to try to be more available to help them.
• I'm thankful for my siblings. David and Pam are the best brother and sister a kid could have. And their spouses are precious to me as my new brother and sister (I don't like the term "in-law"). Their children are like my children, and their needs are important to me. I don't understand people who can distance themselves from their families. So sad.
• I'm thankful for the wonderful husband gave made just for me. He takes such good care of me and our family. Ours is such an incredibly content relationship, and for that I am so blessed.
• I'm thankful for my second set of parents, Robbie's parents. They are so loving and supportive of all we do.
• I'm thankful for my three gorgeous children. God blessed me so much by allowing me to be the mama to Josh, Lauren, and Robert. Every moment I have or had with them is precious and cannot be replaced.
• I'm thankful for my new children--those that Josh, Lauren, and Robert married and brought into our family. They chose well and the joining of our families has been basically seamless. My newbies are as much a part of my thinking when I talk about my children as Josh, Lauren, and Robert are.
• I'm thankful for the little people that our couple kids have blessed us with. Gracie, our first, is the most verbal and LOVES to talk! Dylan, just 6 months and a day younger, is such a little man and helps take care of everybody when he comes to see us. Daniel has the most precious little lisp and his truly his daddy's mini me. Kaylee is quite the little boss around her brothers, but, my goodness, she has to be! Carsyn, the youngest, is sooo funny doing her arabesques and slinging her arms around for "Deep and Wide."
• I'm thankful for a school that says, "We understand you need to be at home right now. And we understand you still need to teach. So, yes, you can do the online classes."
• I'm thankful for a business that is growing stronger and stronger. My mission is to make cute clothing at affordable costs. My customers seem to appreciate that!
• I'm thankful to my daughter for including me in her gymnastics studio. I have such fun teaching those kids, and I look forward to their classes every week and their meets on the weekend.
• I'm thankful for my health. Sometimes I get headaches, and I have more aches than I used to, but that's just a part of getting older, don't you think?  I mean, what 29-year-old doesn't get a little stiff now and then?  :)
• I'm thankful for my friends. I have read that if one has 2 people he can call good friends he is truly blessed -- and that's what I can call myself: truly blessed.
• I'm thankful for those little things that make life easier-- computers, cell phones, Nick Jr., air conditioning, automatic transmissions, washers and dryers, microwaves, refrigerators-- but none of these things would make up for not having those items listed before.

So, what are YOU thankful for?