Lessons Learned

It all started a couple weeks ago when Parker asked me if I had seen his Nintendo DS anywhere.
Nope... not me. He began to search EVERYWHERE... then I searched EVERYWHERE.... then we all searched EVERYWHERE...
No DS :(
The last time he could remember playing it was on the airplane coming home from Atlanta after our cruise. Ryan even called Delta airlines to see if anyone by chance turned it in or something. Nope... no luck.
The bummer was, not only did he lose his DS, but his case and 6 of his favorite games that were in it.
Yes, there were a few days of Parker moping, crying and panic about how he was going to EVER find or replace it again.
But then, he had... a plan!
He would save up enough money to buy a new DS, but not just any DS...
he wanted the new, not even out yet, DSi XL!
So he had a week and a half to raise another $100 dollars to go with what he already had saved.

Working for $5 here and $10 there...his savings was growing... slowly!
What is funny is, just the week before he realized the DS was lost, I asked him if he wanted to wash my car and I would pay him. He politely declined saying, "No, I don't need any money right now, I'm not saving for anything."
He told me he had learned a few lessons from this experience...
1. don't lose your DS
2. don't keep ALL your favorite games in the case
3. don't pass up any opportunity to earn money, even if you don't need it.
(AMEN to that!!)

Finally after many hard working hours.... he had earned enough!
And so today, the day after the DSiXL was in stores, his dream came true! He is pretty excited with is new purchase. He loves the larger screen, the bronze color and the camera feature (that one isn't my favorite)
Now, he says, he won't be "bored" on the drive to California this week.
Thank goodness, because I would hate to have to drive to California without a DS...
oh wait... I have... and somehow as I kid I survived!!!