:: The Birthday Project

A few years ago I was on pinterest and read about "the birthday project".

So for my birthday last year, I decided I was going to do it.

Instead of thinking of myself on my birthday, I was going to think of others and serve those around me.

And I'm not lying to you when I say that it was the BEST birthday I'd had in my 32 years.

Ava and I went around and did 32 random acts of kindness.

And I decided that this needed to be a tradition.

So last week I turned 33 years old.

And my service buddy came out with me again.

Ava was pretty excited . . . and Reese came with us to do a few of them.

I want each of my children to learn the joy of serving others

and what better way for them to learn it by helping/watching me do it. 

Go here to see what we did last year.

And here's what we did this year . . . 

I was brought yummy cinnamon roll pancakes in bed . . . and I shared it with my little ones.

I sent a card to a relative who's been having health issues.

I took the girls with me to exercise, so that Tommy could study. 

We left a note on someone's car in the parking lot.

We gave some cold water to our pool attendant.  She was so gracious.

We went to a nearby park and picked up trash.

{they always have a 4th of July celebration here the weekend before my birthday . . .

so it gets pretty trashed}

Ava chose a toy at the dollar store and left a dollar on it.

We left a quarter on the pay phone . . . are these still used?

We left a note on the mirror in a bathroom.

And a note on the diaper changing table.

We left coupons on items I wouldn't be buying.

We bought the grocery attendant a candybar . . . Ava was too embarrassed to give it to him. Ha!

 We left popcorn on the RedBox.

 We put shopping carts away in the parking lot.  Although, the cart guy was out there and was wondering why we were doing his job.  Lucky for him, it was my birthday.

Left some money at a gas pump.

Let some cars go in front of me.

Took some clothes to the nearest thrift store.

 Left money for someone at the carwash.

 Went through my boxes and boxes of girl clothes and gave a bag to a friend that will be 

expecting her first.  Look at Ava's face . . . it was hot out there.

 Picked up our babysitter and Ava gave her a candybar.

Ava drew a picture and we taped it to the mailbox.

I'm sure we'll hear about this at our next HOA meeting . . . "No taping anything on the mailbox!"

 Left the mailman some cold water.

 Left a dollar in a finance book at the library.

 Read quite a few books to the girls at the library.

 Made a yogurt stop and left a tip in the jar.

Left some coins on a washing machine.

 While in the laundromat, there was a homeless man and I gave him a bottle of water.

 Bought the missionaries in our church giftcards to subway.  They loved it.

 We had bought a vegetable tray and brought it to the nearest fire station.

They let Ava sit on the firetruck and then gave her a coloring book and pencil.

Reese wouldn't go near the guys.  Four to five times this past week, she'll put on her sad face

and tells us that she didn't want to go on the fire truck.  She cracks us up.

We went to an early movie so that Tommy could go to his softball game.

Aren't I a sweet wife.  

We doorbell ditched some neighbors and left some yummy popsicles on the doorstep.

Hope they saw them before they melted.

Arranged for flowers to be brought to my mom for giving birth to me 33 years ago.

Wrote a message to someone on facebook who has been faced with trials recently.

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"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."

                     -Aesop

Give it a try . . . your  birthday will be better because of it.

Go here to learn more about The Birthday Project.