Dear Children,
As I mentioned in my previous letter, we've been blessed and I'm trying to "pay it forward". Since Trey is currently living in NV finishing up an MBA class and soccer is finally over I've found myself with a little extra time on my hands. I've been trying to use this time to give service to others.
In looking for service opportunities I noticed that most people don't accept service unless it's forced on them. My friend, Heidi (from our Military days) was always so good at this. She never asked if she could do something for you, she just did it. She would call and say, "Hey, I just made lunch and I have extra so come over." We lived on the same street in Maryland and she knew all the neighbors while I knew none. She knew their kids, what they did for a living, what problems they were struggling with, and she served them endlessly. She had a heart of gold. I'm striving to be more like her and I've realized it doesn't come naturally. I tend to stay in my own little world and don't make the effort to reach out to others very much.
The winds are a changing and you're all along for the ride. The first thing we did was to babysit for Stacie and Aaron. I hate when I have a babysitter and I feel rushed to get back home so I insisted they stay out as long as they wanted. We ate dinner, played with toys, and went for a long walk by the river.
They have four kids too so you each had a partner to look after.
One weekend we helped Grandma Barb plant flowers in her amazing yard.
In full disclosure, these two pots are the extent of my help. Aren't they pretty though???
I was planning on helping put in the garden too, but it wasn't ready for planting yet. Grandpa Steve still needed to spread a nice thick layer of manure on it.
We also babysat Tara's (the lady I visit teach) children. Two adorable little girls. I again told the parents to stay out as long as they wanted and to come home whenever. We ate dinner, drew with sidewalk chalk, played with the dolls and horses, and then made a dollhouse out of cardboard boxes.
The weekend I babysat Tara's kids I really didn't feel like it. It had been a long week and I just wanted to stay home and do nothing. I may have been a bit grumpy. I happened to be reading an article in LDS Living about giving service and I suddenly felt prompted to do something kind. I had been telling Tara I would babysit her kids for awhile and that she should give me a call whenever she wanted to go on date. She never called, but when I read that article I literally jumped up from the couch, ran to Tara's house (she lives across the parking lot) and told her that she and her husband would be going on a date the following night. It's strange because once I left her house I no longer felt crabby. I mean really, I was practically soaring. I have found this quote to be true:
The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. -Mahatma Gandi
Lots of love,
Mama
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