Restitution

In our neighborhood, there is a family that puts lights on their pine tree at Christmastime.  A couple weeks ago, the boys got home from school, and Tyler informed me that Zachary and Riley had smashed some of the lights on this tree.  He also informed me that Kaleb had smashed one.  Now, seriously, I don't blame them for wanting to do this.  When light bulbs break, it's pretty cool, but those light bulbs did not belong to them, and therefore that is unacceptable.  For doing this, I told my boys they were grounded for two weeks, and had to replace the light bulbs.  Today, I finally made them do this.  I drove the kids to the home on our way to run some errands, and waited for them in my car while Zach and Riley went to the door with their new lights.  They were gone awhile, so when they came back to the car, Kurtis and I asked them what happened.  Zachary said, "The lady opened the door, and we gave her the lights.  She said, 'Oh, I needed some of those.'  Then I said, we have to tell you something.  She invited us into her house, and I said we smashed some of your lights, and this is us repenting."  He said she thanked them, and they came back to the car.  When he said that to us, we couldn't help but laugh.  I am happy that they understood what they did was wrong, and that they were willing to go up this woman, and do the right thing.  I think they were nervous, but they knew they should.  I don't think they will be doing that again (hopefully).  They should be ungrounded just in time for Christmas.