No pictures this post. But a few updates. I am not good at holiday pictures, so really, there aren't any. But we had a really nice holiday. Got to see a lot of great family and friends and really enjoy time with them.
Actually this post, and the next few, will chronicle my birthday project. I am not a birthday/holiday person. I throw a decent party for my kids because it is expected and I love them like crazy. Enough to make myself crazy for the one day. But this year I found on Pinterest a woman who did random acts of kindness instead of getting gifts or celebrating for herself. That resonated with me. I also just finished two books One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp and Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah. The first helped remind me (always can use this reminder no matter what) that grace = thanksgiving = joy and that service to Christ is at the heart of all three. The second helped remind me that we never know another person's whole story, what drives their emotions, but that love and people are the most important gifts on earth we have. This project seemed a perfect way to practice what I have been reading and learning, share some of God's love and blessings with others, and a way to let my kids celebrate my birthday in a great way.
I immediately had some ideas. My birthday will fall on MLK day this year, so I decided to stretch the project out and we started today (some of the places I want to go might be closed that day).The kids helped me. They loved it. Annika said it made her feel warm and toasty. Tanner was right in on it, he loved helping. Phoebe is helping me come up with ideas and she loves to watch the responses. So can I count this as homeschooling on the log??? :) We aren't doing huge things, just little moments that will brighten another person's day.
I decided to chronicle the project because of the original blog post I read. It gave me ideas, but more importantly it was itself a random act of kindness to me. It warmed my heart. I felt love reading about her RAOK. And I want to pay it forward, I want to share that love, and I want to remember this feeling.
Today we:
1. Bought a bag of peppermints and butterscotches and then handed them out to all of the people who work and were shopping at Walmart.
2. Bought a gift card and then found a young mother in the diaper aisle and gave it to her and congratulated her on her new baby. She had both of us shedding happy tears.
3. At the dollar store we bought a truck balloon for a little boy. I don't know who smiled more, the boy, his mom, or my family.
4. At Aldi we returned something that was bad when we opened it. With their double guarantee we got a new item and then asked the cashier to use the money for the next person who came in line.
I will be back with some of the other things we are doing this week. If you would like to join, please do. Especially instead of sending me birthday wishes send me a text, email or comment here what YOU did to pay it forward and spread Christ's blessings.
Love to all of you who read this and share our life,
Nicole
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