Mother's Day 2012

I love Mother's Day.

For a while there, it looked like this wasn't going to be my day.

Then one day in 2003, I became a MOM!!!

About two months later, our church held a baby dedication

(like a christening) and that is how I celebrated

my first Mother's Day - thanking God for my blessing!

Three years later in 2006,

I got to spend my Mother's Day the same way!

This year, my favorite husband brought me breakfast in bed.

Both kids gave me necklaces. That they made.

Motor Mouth made a necklace with a half heart for me

and the matching half heart for him!

Mini Me made me a glass heart necklace - purple, my fav color!

We had a great family day - that's what it's all about.

All They Can Say Is "No"

The kids' school does very low key fundraisers. This is the second year they have done a flower fundraiser. It's real flowers - flats, pots, hanging baskets, for less than you can get them at Home Depot.

This year, I took the kids with me around our condo complex. They gave the order forms only the neighbors we know by name. About 14 neighbors. Of those, 4 neighbors placed orders. That's 4 more than their school would have had if they hadn't taken 15 minutes out of their evening playtime.

The kids had a blast! They got to visit their friends and walk around the building visiting their friends' dogs. And by friends, I mean adults. When the orders started coming in, the kids were ecstatic!

J thought I was insane but then when he saw the orders rolling in, he began to catch the excitement.

I think it is important to teach our children the importance of going outside their comfort level. To teach them that the worst someone can say is "no." To teach them the joy and excitement that comes from getting that "yes." To teach them to give back to their school. To teach them that they can make a difference. To teach them that they can leverage their sphere of influence to make a difference or to create change.

All those life lessons from a handing out an 8.5" x 11" color brochure with pretty pictures of flowers.