Lunch making

It is no secret that I do not love making lunches.  Of course, I am down to five kids at home now, so it is not as big of a chore as in the days of making seven lunches. I just know how gross the school lunches are, and the kids are very appreciative of the lunches I made for them. So despite my negative attitude I go through the repetitive motions every school day to make five lunches.

I was talking to a friend of mine recently about this. My friend is an interesting person--very mystical and eastern-thinking. She told me that every time I use my hands to make lunches for the kids, I am sharing my energy and love with them, and it is transferred to them through the food, and the kids will feel that love. Sometimes she says some weird things, but she is usually right. She went on to tell me that when mothers use their hands to do everyday things for our kids, such as laundry or helping with homework, we are literally transmitting love through our hands to them.  Let's hear it for Chi!

Anyway, it got me thinking.  Does Noah realize that I have always squeeze mustard onto his sandwich in the shape of a heart? Do the kids know how much I love them because I make homemade chocolate frosting for their graham crackers? Sliced cucumbers and ranch, fruit snacks, pudding pack, applesauce, a sandwich, Capri Sun, and graham crackers with frosting. I don't do anything cute or fancy, but I came to realize that I was sending a lunchbox of love with them out the door each morning. 

But did my kids care? Do they have a clue? Savanna answered that for me quite unexpectedly a few weeks ago. She came home one day and said, "There is this one girl at lunch, and every time she opens her lunchbox, I can just tell that her mom doesn't love her." 

I asked what she meant. I didn't expect her answer. 

"Well, her mom fills it with ORGANIC this and ALL NATURAL that.  You just let us have good food. Her mom would never let her have graham crackers with frosting."