As of 0136 on the 11th of August 2008, our little Chloe Joy is the ripe ol' age of two. She has learned many things in her not so long life here on Earth. She often tells me to "go away," launches herself onto the floor, smashing her head when she doesn't get her way and more often than not she tells me she loves me, followed by a fish kiss, Eskimo kiss and a butterfly kiss; always in that order.
We didn't have a party, buy gifts or eat cake. (boo and hiss you may)
Don't think of me as a bad mom, please. Her birthday snuck up on us and to be really honest, I got lazy. BUT there was one thing I realized has been a theme in the two years we've celebrated her arrival in our lives that in my opinion is better than cake and gifts. (Don't get me wrong I too love those things, but keep reading and you'll see what I mean.)
On her first birthday, I requested guests bring school supplies instead of gifts. Chloe and I were going to take them to a non-profit organization that would properly distribute them to children who needed them. Not many people brought supplies from what I remember, but Chloe and I ended up going to Wal-Mart and buying a ton more. The lady we gave them to was very thankful and I can remember the whole way home telling Chloe how nice it was of her to ask for school supplies instead of gifts for her birthday.
(Her first b-day. She fed daddy cake.)
This year, I didn't even realize we followed the same theme, but we did. By accident? Yes and no.
I have been stock piling my maternity clothes, Chloe's clothes and Cooper's clothes. (All of which he wore for just about a literal minute, the boy is humungo.) My plan about 2 months ago, was to donate them to Bargain Box. You know the story there. Well, they close for the summer. So here I was, trying to figure out what to do with them. Ebay? Ya, but that sure is a lot of work and I may only make .99c for a couple hundred dollars worth of clothing. Then it hit me last week....
Birthright.
I called them, "Do you all take donations?"
"Yes ma'am we do." (Ma'am. I still giggle at being called ma'am. I think of myself as a hun. I'm not old enough to be a ma'am, in my mind anyways.)
I ask, "Do you take maternity clothes and baby clothes?"
"We sure do."
"Is there a cut off age of clothing?"
(I can't remember if there was or not, sorry to leave you hanging.)
So Monday morning, before the kids get up I loaded the truck up with all of the clothes. (For those of you that handed down clothes to Chloe and Cooper, you also made a difference because I took the ones that didn't fit or we didn't need.) I hand them off in the rain and the lady was so thankful.
On my way home God hit me with a thought and a realization. (I love it when that happens.)
Chloe has given away things of hers two years in row!
When we had her, and now Cooper, I wanted them to grow up yearning to give things away, to help others, to give because they have so much.
I like to think I am accomplishing that goal.
When we got home I said to Chloe, "Honey, thank you for giving your clothes away. That was very nice of you."
"Yaaa." She says while checking on her baby doll and holding silky.
I think it's great that you're teaching your children to be selfless and gracious.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, absolutely, there is still hope. Rearranged and changed, but still fully intact. Hope is strong.
She's adorable, can't wait to meet her. Eli wants her to come over and play sometime.
ReplyDeleteThat's great Megan. Thanks for being such a great example for all of us including Chloe.
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