Last night was Pippa’s last night of the year and award ceremony at her AWANA club. There were so many sweet moments for me: hearing her sing the Cubbies theme song and seeing her face light up when she finally found me in the crowd, but the best came on the ride home.

I explained to her that that had been her last night at AWANA for a while, but that when she went back she would be four and “one of the big kids” with a bear on her vest. We had already talked about how after next year she will become a Spark and Romilly will start as a new Cubbie, and all of this was swirling around in her sweet little mind last night as we drove home.

Her: Mommy, after next year, I will have a red vest. Then Ro-Ro can have my blue vest.

Me: Well, no. Ro-Ro will get a new blue vest so she can put her own badges on it. Yours already has your badges on it.

Her: But, (big breath) what will we do with my vest?

Me: Umm… I guess we’ll fold it up and keep it so that we can always look at it and remember what you did when you were a cubbie.

Her: (with genuine shock in her voice) Why?!?

Me: Why, what, honey? What do you mean?

Her: There must be somebody! Maybe… maybe… maybe we can give it to somebody that haves a kid.

Me: Maybe…

Her: Or maybe we can just give it to God. What do you think mommy? Should we give it to somebody that haves a kid or should we give it to God?

I was stumped.

So, if anyone’s interested, in about a year we’ll have one used blue AWANA Cubbies vest complete with two years worth of badges up for grabs. Yours for the asking, courtesy of one very frugal-minded and kind-hearted little girl.