stolen flowers and private miller

The kids came a long with me for an appointment and were very well behaved so I thought I would reward them with a trip to the dollar store. Benson was about to loose it, he was tired and whiny but I decided to brave the store anyway. About five minutes in he was done. He threw a big FAT fit. He kicked into gear and nothing would make him stop. He cried/screamed for 10 minutes. As we got to the front of the store I looked around and said "sorry everyone" with a shrug. I just had to laugh and keep calm. As we walked out a store associate held the door open for us and kindly said, "You didn't have to apologize." I thanked him from the bottom of my heart. He took time out of his day to remind me that I was doing the best job I could do, it was a great reminder that God loves me.
We arrived home and I made us some lunch.  Eden had been wearing her kitty beanie and decided she would take it off. Then she remembered something... "Look mom, flowers!" Under her beanie she had stuffed 20 different silk flowers from the dollar store and showed them to me proudly. I gasped, "Eden, why did you take these?....(then the big blow).... Eden, did you know this is stealing?" At that she hid behind my chair, refusing to face me.  "Mom, can we go to the store right now?  Can I go say sorry right now?" She was so mortified. She couldn't even make eye contact with me. Her conscience was weighing so heavy on her, she looked terrified. I picked her up and held her while she sobbed. I asked, "Eden are you sad? (she nods) Eden are you embarrassed? (she nods)" I say, "Eden, you made a bad choice, but you are not a bad girl. Heavenly Father wants us to learn really well how it feels to make a right choice, when we make wrong choices we can know better how to make a right choice next time."
She cried some more.
After a minute she said, "The tiny germs told me 'Eden take the flowers'". I said, "Oh, where are the tiny germs?" Eden replied, "Inside of me". Well, I definitely feel tiny germs inside of me too sometimes. I told her if a choice makes her feel sneaky or bad then it's a good idea not to make that choice.
She cried and cried and I consoled my sweet little girl for about 20 minutes. She turned to me with tears on her cheeks and said, "Don't tell Daddy."

Brent came home and we told him what happened...together. Eden and I took the stolen flowers and got in the car. We arrived and the Dollar Tree and I looked for the nearest employee. We explained what happened and Eden handed the bag over to the lady with an apologetic look and an "I'm sorry".  The kind lady took a minute and said that the flowers fall off all the time and that they would normally throw them away, so she thought it would be okay if Eden kept them and also thanked Eden for bringing them back and being honest.
We were there for the second time that day so I thought I would stock up our family prize box. (The kids earn tickets for good behavior and can buy prizes with their tickets.) We had checked out and I was searching in my bag for my wallet. I searched three times and even searched my car. I came back in the store and told them that its not with me, and that we'll just have to come back another time. Eden was a bit bummed out but I tell her its no big deal. At that time a young fresh faced 18 year old speaks up and says, "I can pay for it".  I say no no no, it's no big deal we'll come back another day.... but its too late he's already paying for it. He had such a nice look about him, I asked if he was military, he said yes. I asked where he worked... and he worked in the same brigade as Brent! I asked for his name, Private Miller. He showed me the greatest act of kindness I have EVER received from a complete stranger.
Eden and I left feeling so loved. I explained that we couldn't pay for our things and Mr. Miller paid for them. I asked Eden, "Can you feel Jesus and Heavenly Father?" She said she could, through that nice lady and Mr. Miller. I said didn't it feel good to do the right thing? She said yes with a big smile.
Then she added, "I'm going to marry Mr. Miller".

I read this post to Eden and she gave me a shy smile and said, "I love Mr. Miller, he's my best friend".