Monday, May 17, 2010

My Birthday was AWESOME!!!

My birthday was AWESOME - I promise you that this was the BEST birthday I have ever had!

So, as promised - here is a glimpse at our Random(ish) Acts of Kindness!

1 - We left our mailman a yummy box of girl scout cookies and a note thanking him for bringing us our mail!


2- At the top of our neighborhood sits Fire Station #4 - we have been fortunate enough to never need their services, but I assure you that I sleep better at night knowing how close they are. We took them a plate of home made cookies and muffins with a hand written note from Xander that said "Thank you for helping our community."



3 - About a mile from our house sits an assisted living facility that we drive past daily - we have never been in. During the last week, the kids worked hard painting rainbows on the covers of cards and writing "Have a great day" on the inside. Today, we took those cards in the facility to the desk and asked the director to hand them out to residents who might enjoy them (we had 6 cards). She was super kind to us and took us on a tour of the facility - and allowed us to visit 6 residents in their rooms and hand deliver our cards. I shed my first tears here today - the sight of my children bringing such joy to these amazing people. (oh and I did love the one male we met who said "You two are so beautiful - you definitely take after your beautiful momma" - yeah, he's definitely a hot item in the eldery circuit!)


This was one of our favorites - she just LOVED Xander - she hugged and hugged on him.


4 - Many of you are familiar with the great saga that is known as the Coach's truck. Our fourth stop we took home made muffins and cookies to the mechanics that have not charged us AT ALL for looking at his truck repeatedly and not finding anything wrong. I think they were the hungriest:)


5 - We took two vases of flowers (picked out by Xman) to the hospital. The lead volunteer was generous enough to accompany us to the section of the hospital that she thought would most enjoy our flowers. It turns out that our hospital has a "seniors unit." I shed my second tears of the day here - how sad that these lovely people are living in our hospital - many were unattended in wheelchairs, the rooms were small (hospital size) and had all their belongings in them. One of the ladies was particularly friendly and we were all impressed by how she still crochets dresses for dolls - she herself was once a volunteer, and is now a resident.

6 - While at the hospital, we left home made coloring books and crayons in the waiting areas.

7- We left change on the vending machines for others!

8, 9 and 10 - Our next stop was our church - we made a donation to the food pantry, left books for a family in need, and were excited to leave special notes for our children's pastors.

11 - Muffins and cookies to our librarians - who exclaimed "Wow - someone does love us!" and promptly starting eating:)


12 - Xman and I collected carts from parking spaces at the Walmart and took them all the way into the store.

13 - We stopped at our local toddler park and gave out presents - I will say that here we encountered our first disbeliever in our acts of kindness. For the first time, I had to explain our whole purpose for the day. They were still shouting thank you as we headed back to our car!

14 - One more park stop - the kids hid Easter eggs with prizes in them all over our favorite playground. We left an Easter bucket with a note stating "Have a egg hunt - please enjoy this random act of kindness!"

15, 16 - Stop at the Dollar tree - we made two purchases to give to others this week. The kids favorite was hiding dollars in the kid's toy section. Man, I wish we could have seen the kids that found our dollars!



17, 18, and 19 - Popped into the bookstore. We purchased a book to pass on to someone else this week. The Nana and I both read whole stories and lingered - because that's what my kids love.


I spent 15 minutes in this section with a total stranger - I became his personal shopper. At one point he actually said to me "God sent you to me to help me today and I am so grateful." (I think I am up to the 3rd time I cried?).........I got to share with him that I had prayed that just this morning that God would lead me to people who need me!

20, 21 and 22 - We treated the Nana to lunch - and she got eat somewhere she had never been before!


I gave this darling princess my birthday ice cream treat - to eat all by herself!


And, we left a gift for our waitress


23, 24, and 25 - We mailed some treats to surprise friends and family, as well as a hand written note



26 - We left diapers and wipes on a changing table in a public bathroom.


27 - We ran an errand for a family member who was busy at work


28 - We picked up trash everywhere we went (even the trash our waitress stepped over at lunch!)

29 - We smiled at EVERYONE we saw today, we said hello to everyone, and generously passed out compliments

30 - The kids passed out a pack of silly bandz today. They gave them to kids in the hospital, kids in stores, kids at the park. This was one of my favorites - We got our first silly bandz because someone was randomly generous to us - came across a restaraunt to our table and said "I don't know if you guys have these here but these are really popular where I'm from - they are FUN" and gave each of the kids one. We had never seen them before at that time!

31 - I was a friendly driver (at least I think I was - I tried!). I smiled as people took up two lanes and drove toward our car - I let others go ahead of us as we approached red lights.


32, 33 - Technically 32 and 33 didn't get delivered today - the hours of both establishments didn't fit in with our schedule - but we will finish them up this week. We have donations to two local charities that have special meanings to friends of ours. Bags are loaded in the car and WILL get delivered!

34 - I worked. I know - working only barely acts as an act of kindness. But, I NEVER work on my birthday. EVER. Even when I taught full time, I always took the day off. I had two students who both have tests/exams tomorrow - and they are important to me. Their needs are important to me. So, today I tutored two of my teens!

35 - I let a very impatient lady behind me in line at Walmart this evening get in front of me. Even though she used three coupons in the self checkout lane, and couldn't find her credit card. I smiled at her. I offered to hold her watermelon while she looked!

And that my friends  is how I spent my amazing 35th birthday.

Definitely a new tradition!

I can't tell  you how amazing it is to see the best of your children as your gift. To see the joy that my children (and me) can bring other people is a GIFT. A gift that I no longer take for granted. A gift that is a teachable moment for me - because I now will always remember the look on those strangers faces and the looks on my kids faces, and know that CHARACTER EDUCATION is the most important education. My kids can change the world around us.

With one random act of kindness at a time!

91 comments:

  1. You are an inspiring person. I always come away from you blog feeling inspired. What a fantastic idea. And I'm so glad you had such a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  2. What an inspiration you are. I have signed up to follow your blog. My daughter sent me here to read your post. She has been telling me what an amazing person you are. I can see that she is right.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love this! Thanks to MadameQueen for sharing your post on Twitter. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. You made ME cry too! Such a wonderful way to spend your birthday. Thank you for sharing your day complete with pictures and making a difference for so many.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I came here from Woulda,Coulda Shoulda and I am so glad she linked to you - THANK YOU.

    ReplyDelete
  6. This is one of the coolest things I've ever read. Happy birthday to you. What an inspiring, wonderful, amazing way to spend your day. Thank you for sharing it with us.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am so inspired by this post. I want to run out and commit random acts of kindness. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a fabulous way to spend your birthday! I think I'd like to do that on my birthday in a few weeks. (Thanks Mir for sharing!)

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a fabulous idea and example to your children. I found you through Mir at WouldaCouldaShoulda and am very glad I stopped by!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh. My. Goodness.

    I am BLOWN AWAY by this post and by your random acts of kindness! WOWOWOWOWOW!!!!!! You are exactly the kind of person I try to be. What a blessing you are to your children and to your community!!! You go, girl!

    I want you as an Affiliated Agent. Please email me!

    secret.agent.l.in.pgh@gmail.com

    xoxo,
    Secret Agent L

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow, that's some high-level kindness. It sounds like you really enjoyed your special day.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Very very very wonderful birthday. You are inspiring and awesome, as are your kids. Thanks so much for sharing with us!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Look out for a lot more comments on this excellent post. I've got tears in my eyes! I LOVE your ideas. DIAPERS/WIPES in the public bathroom!! Is awesome!!

    Happy birthday (continued) to you!

    ReplyDelete
  14. This is awesome! Found you from Mir and was DELIGHTED to read about how you spent your birthday. You are a walking encounter with God! I wonder how many seeds you planted and watered in people's lives today? They met Jesus when they met you and your kids!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow! Best birthday EVER! I'm thoroughly in love with this idea...

    ReplyDelete
  16. I am so happy to have been your b-day inspiration, your comment made me smile from ear to ear. I LOVED reading about your day, the diapers & the dollar store were such cute ideas! Thanks so much for stopping back to tell me about it! Happy Birthday!

    ReplyDelete
  17. PS. I loved that you use the RAOK printable!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Got here through Mir as well, and WOW! I second what she said - you make me want to be a better person.
    Awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  19. This is very inspiring! You have encouraged a lot of people to want to be a better person today :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. What a wonderful and inspiring way to spend a birthday. To be entirely honest, I spent my last birthday sick and feeling sorry for myself because no friends had called. I now have a much better plan for my next!

    ReplyDelete
  21. This is awesome! What an excellent way to live out love on your birthday. I love it!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Wow! I shed a few tears just reading this post. You ARE changing the world. This is very inspiring!

    ReplyDelete
  23. That is a fabulous birthday! I am inspired..mine is in July. Thanks and blessings.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I can't think of a better way to spend your birthday! You make me want to be a better person. :D

    ReplyDelete
  25. Beautiful and selfless...what a wonderful gift!

    ReplyDelete
  26. You are amazing :D These random acts of kindness have taught your kids so much and Me too!!! Thank you so much for sharing this with us.
    JM

    ReplyDelete
  27. WOW!!!!! This is incredible! I just saw this thru pinterest and thought WOW what an amazing family! Thank you for being a shining example to those around you! The world needs more of YOU! Happy (way belated) birthday. I know this is an old post but it was very moving!

    xoxo, Mallory

    www.classyclutter.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  28. Amazing! You have definitely inspired me to start this tradition!!!

    ReplyDelete
  29. You are one AMAZING woman! I hope I can do this for at least one birthday in my life and I would be a happy woman! You're such an inspiration - thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Someone pinned this post on Pinterest, and it was an awesome read. Happy Birthday to you. What a wonderful way to celebrate your day - especially with your children. Inspiring!

    S

    ReplyDelete
  31. WOw. What an amazing day! Thanks for sharing this. I cried all the way through it! I'm glad your kids were so excited to do something kind, too!

    ReplyDelete
  32. I came across your blog through Pinterest. I cried reading all your wonderful acts of kindness, and it wasn't because of the pregnancy hormones! Thank you for sharing this with others. You have definitely inspired me!

    ReplyDelete
  33. I also found your blog through Pinterest. And, I also cried reading about your kindness. Thank you. The world needs more people like you.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Found this on pinterest and I am so inspired! May God bless you for blessing others!
    PS My favorite was leaving dollars for children in the dollar store. :)

    ReplyDelete
  35. I was having such a terrible day, and now that it's almost 2AM I fell upon this page and can't stop SMILING!! Thank you so much for brightening my day by showing me that there are beautiful people out there in the world... Happy birthday to you!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Wow, thank you so much for bringing MY first tears today:) Such a wonderful idea and so wonderful that you could share it with us. Thank you, thank you, thank you! And Happy Birthday!!

    ReplyDelete
  37. THIS is wonderful. you are AWESOME. thanks for sharing God's love to all these people.
    happy birthday! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  38. LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS!!! I got all choked up reading it! What a lovely day and memories you made with your children!

    ReplyDelete
  39. found this via Pinterest today and I wanted to share with you how great I think it was that not only did you complete many RAK's but also involved your children. So many of the things you accomplished would've never crossed my mind to do. I'm saving this post as a reminder for a future birthday. Thanks for the ideas. (BTW, my birthday is just a few days before you on May 12th!)

    ReplyDelete
  40. I found you via pinterest today and read your entire post! What a fabulous day and what a great thing to do and to teach your children! Well done. you have inspired me.

    ReplyDelete
  41. thanks for giving me a better idea how im going to spend my next birthday!

    ReplyDelete
  42. All I have to say is Thank You for teaching your children a valuable life lesson :) I hope this becomes a tradition. (Oh- and I volunteer at a hospice/assisted living facility and I love it. Kids are always welcome where I go-- I think you might have the heart to handle it... please look into it!) kimpound4pound@blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  43. I think this is AMAZING! What a gift to your children- giving them a heart to serve others! I am truly inspired!

    ReplyDelete
  44. Completely awesome and an inspiration for me to do the same with my children - thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  45. A friend of mine posted your blog on facebook. This is so amazing and inspiring!

    ReplyDelete
  46. What a fun and amazing day you had! I really am inspired and now I want to do this with my kids for our birthdays! Thank you so much for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  47. Very inspiring! I think I will try to do this on my own birthday! Very, very inspiring...Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  48. This post was so inspiring to me...I reposted a link on my facebook page to inspire my friends also! Bravo to you and your littles!!!
    skk

    ReplyDelete
  49. God bless you and your children! Can't wait til you start telling us how all these awesome things you did today have been returned to you tenfold! and they will be,because you did them with love and kindness

    ReplyDelete
  50. that sounds like a MARVELOUS birthday :) Thank-you for sharing all the fun yall had!

    ReplyDelete
  51. my children and I are always doing what we can to cheer someone up or brighten there day by doing something nice for a random person. It's amazing how stopping to let someone cross the road, or out of a parking spot, or even holding a door for someone can brighten their day. :)

    ReplyDelete
  52. Tears. Inspiration. Admiration.

    Thank you, and Happy belated birthday. This year will obviously be a truly blessed one for you. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  53. AWESOME!! I must do this with my children!! Thank you so much for this idea!!

    ReplyDelete
  54. this is awesome! What an inspiration! You definitely made the world a better place on your birthday! My daughters birthdays (7,5 & 3) are approaching and I think I'll encourage them to think the same.
    Way to go.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Found this via Pinterest today and I have to say you are an incredible person and a wonderful role model to your children.

    ReplyDelete
  56. Followed this link from Pinterest, and I'm crying now too! You, my friend, are a wonderful kind-hearted and inspiring person. Great stuff!

    ReplyDelete
  57. I also just found this on Pinterest and I'm sitting here in a puddle b/c I am awed by your great big heart. I have 34 days to plan for my upcoming 41st bday and you can bet that I'm gonna use this idea!

    ReplyDelete
  58. You are absolutely, AMAZING! What a great tradition to start with your kids. You have inspired me to make of list of random acts of kindness to start with my kids. Thank you for sharing this! Happy Very belated birthday ;).

    ReplyDelete
  59. Found you on pintrest and seriously cried while reading your blog. What a great idea. Thanks for being a wonderful inspiration to people around you!

    ReplyDelete
  60. You are the second person I have read this week that did this on her birthday! What an inspiration to us all!

    ReplyDelete
  61. I stumbled across your blog from Pinterest. What an incredible idea! I think I will have to start doing this with my children. Thank you for the inspiration.

    ReplyDelete
  62. Wow! You are inspiring! I saw the picture of the gift to your mailman on Pinterest, and I found myself reading through them all!

    I think we may do something like this to celebrate and teach the spirit of this holiday season with our daughter.

    Thank you for THAT random act of kindness :)

    -Tiffany
    http://www.bathbodyandbeauty.com

    ReplyDelete
  63. This was so inspirational. Thank you for sharing and spreading your RAKs!

    ReplyDelete
  64. I know how I'm gonna spend my 14th birthday :)

    ReplyDelete
  65. What an amazing day you and your children had. Just found this on Pinterest and was curious what you had left your mailman :) This would be an awesome tradition for all birthdays :) Thank you for inspiring me.

    ReplyDelete
  66. Thank you for inspiring me. You made me cry. By which I mean, bawl. I hope you reaped the wonderful things you sewed during the year that followed!!!

    ReplyDelete
  67. I found this post on Pinterest and I LOVE it!!! I'm going to do this with my kids =)

    ReplyDelete
  68. What an inspiration you are. Prayers and blessings to you and yours.

    An E-hug for your birthday, you deserve more.

    ReplyDelete
  69. So inspiring. You are a wonderful person and have inspired me with your kindness. I love how you are teaching your children to be kind and give to others. Wonderful. It truly is the kindness of strangers that can change ones day or outlook. You change lives with your kindness. Now that I read this, I am thinking about what I can do for my local retirement home. My Mom just passed and I want to help other elderly folks but did not know where to start. Thanks !!!

    ReplyDelete
  70. Wow, your kids will be such awesome people because of these experiences.

    ReplyDelete
  71. I think I have to do this too. Thank you and happy belated bday!

    ReplyDelete
  72. wow! What an awesome idea! Happy Belated Birthday (only 5 months later! :o)

    ReplyDelete
  73. I am in tears. You have made the world a better place, and you have inspired me to be a little kinder today. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  74. Jaimie sent me here and I'm so glad she did. What a wonderful way to spend your birthday! Small things can big such large differences in someone's life, and you are showing the world that simple truth. Thank you for your compassion, your kindness, your generosity and your joy: more people should live by your example. Thank you for everything you do, and for teaching your children the same.

    ReplyDelete
  75. I saw this on pinterest and am totally inspired. I'm going to repin and share your ideas so that others can be inspired also.

    ReplyDelete
  76. wow! you are amazing! thank you so much for sharing this. i am inspired!!!

    ReplyDelete
  77. As a person who LOVES doing rak, I am excited to do this on my upcoming birthday. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  78. I LOVE THIS!! I just turned 30 this past May and for the 30 days leading up to it I did 30 new things I had never done before and blogged about each day! We should swap ideas for our 31st and 36th birthdays!!! Happy Birthday!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  79. Reading this put a huge smile on my face! Thank you for sharing. :) You and your children are amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  80. Found you on Pinterest like many people did, I love this! What a wonderful way to spend your birthday. I plan on doing this with each of my 7 kids through their birthdays, to teach them that happiness is in helping others, especially on the day when you are getting the gifts!

    ReplyDelete
  81. You are so inspiring. Thank you so much for sharing this. I am bawling like a baby. You truly have touched my heart.

    ReplyDelete
  82. Amazing, I would have cried right along with you! ;0)

    ReplyDelete
  83. This was probably one of the BEST and most inspirational posts I have ever seen on the web or on any blog I've ever read! I absolutely love this and will definately be sharing this post. I want to do this with my own daughter now Thank you so much. I think I may make a special month event of it and do a Month of Random Acts of kindness one for each day.

    http://myadventures-in-mommyland.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  84. I love, love, LOVE this! I will be stealing your idea for my own bday in a couple of months. :) (Found it on Pinterest, btw)

    ReplyDelete
  85. Thank you so much for your inspiration! We can truly change the world one act of kindness at a time. You have blessed so many more people than the many you blessed on your birthday.

    I found this a couple weeks ago on Pinterest and tucked it away in the memory bank. The other day I had a miserable morning. I didn't have time to do 35 acts of kindness, but I had a half hour. Here's a link if you want to read about our wonderful experience.

    http://imabuilder.blogspot.com/2011/12/random-act-of-kindness.html

    ReplyDelete