Five good deeds

Every December, I try to do at least one good deed. This particular deed must capture or represent the spirit of Christmas in some way. I always try to include the children in this act, because I want them to grow up feeling compassion for others and to have a giving heart. Giving to charity is so important to me, especially during the holidays, and I want the kids to understand that this is an important time of the year to remember other people who are not as fortunate as they are and to give in some way to help others. I also want them to know that Christmas is an important time to let the people we are close to know just how much we appreciate them, appreciate all they do for us and give something to them in return.

Up until this year, it was usually one or two good deeds we did. But this year, we are blessed with having done five good deeds in helping others for Christmas.

These are the good deeds we have done thus far:

1. Participated in the food drive
2. Gave to a charity
3. Helped a family for Christmas
4. Took cookies to our friends (still doing that!)
5. Gave Jesse’s teacher a Christmas gift

I wanted to also give a toy to the Toys For Tots program but totally forgot about it then I kept missing it when they held it somewhere.

But at least we got 5 good deeds done for the month.

If I ever find out about a Toys for Tots drive going on somewhere close by, I’ll definitely make it a point to get out there! I hope it’s not too late. But if it is, I will look into something similar.

And it looks like we’ll be doing another good deed for the month, too: My neighbor is leaving town until after Christmas and has asked us to keep an eye out for any packages being delivered to her porch. She is worried about them being stolen so we’ll be holding onto her packages for her until she gets back. We are happy to help.

Yay for doing good deeds!

A Christmas miracle

At the beginning of each month, I put together a budget plan to manage my finances. This plan covers rent and the first week of groceries for that month, as well as school-related payments, other assorted monthly payments and gas for my car. My husband and I both have a monthly income, so he takes care of the other monthly expenses. This plan has worked well so far, except that it didn’t really allow for any “surprise expenses.” (That will change once I start using a new budget plan next year.)

And that was a problem for this month, because, yeah, a "surprise expense" did come up.

Earlier in the month, I was thrown into a group activity: A “secret Santa” fundraiser for a friend. Basically, there was a call put out for donated gifts (toys for the children) and money the family could use for Christmas presents. I wanted to help, but I just hadn’t set aside any money for this type of thing. The money I DID have set aside was for the Christmas Cookie Run that my daughter and I will be doing soon, but not for this. So I was pretty bummed about that.

I shared this situation with my husband and Jennifer. They decided to donate their own money to this cause. I was so touched they wanted to help out a complete stranger so that she could have a nice Christmas for her family, it brought tears to my eyes. I was just so moved.

So once they handed over their money, I made the donation to the Secret Santa fundraiser. I was just so happy that we were able to help this family. Coming from a large family where my parents struggled to buy us gifts every Christmas, and one Christmas when a whole fire department “adopted” us and got us gifts, I know just how much it means being a kid and receiving the generosity and kindness from strangers. I know, Christmas isn’t about the presents and it’s more about being together as a family, but when you’re a kid and it’s Christmas, it’s still nice to find a present just for you under the tree.

I am glad my friend’s children will be able to do the same.

(Sidenote: I want to mention the fundraiser ended today and the coordinators reached their goal and raised over $1,000 for this family. Yay!) 

Guest blog post: Christina Koenig shares information about the Breast Cancer Network of Strength

Breast Cancer Network of Strength

“You have breast cancer” may be among the most frightening words a patient can hear a doctor utter. Yet in the United States more than 194,000 men and women hear them each year. A diagnosis may leave someone feeling alone, afraid and hopeless. But having information and knowing where to turn for support can help patients regain a sense of hope and control.

“Am I going to die?”
“My wife was just diagnosed with breast cancer. What do we do?”
“How can I make decisions about my treatment when I’m so upset?”

These are common questions among the 47,000 calls and e-mails that Breast Cancer Network of Strength’s 24/7 YourShoes™ Breast Cancer Support Center receives each year.

When breast cancer is the diagnosis, patients, families and friends want to know everything possible about the disease and how it will affect their lives. They need emotional support and crave information about treatment options and details about the disease, but they also need deeper knowledge.

For the newly diagnosed, support is crucial and it helps to talk to someone who has been through the same experience, a “peer.” Peer support is the cornerstone of Breast Cancer Network of Strength® (formerly known as Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization®).

Callers feel immediate emotional relief when they talk to someone who has walked in their shoes--one of our peer counselors--because, as breast cancer survivors, they truly understand what someone may be going through. Since this is such a meaningful concept, we named our peer support services YourShoes™.

“Even though my family is a great support system, I needed to talk to someone who had been in my shoes.”

YourShoes includes the 24/7 breast cancer support center staffed by peer counselors who are breast cancer survivors. Calls are handled in more than 150 languages through real-time interpreters.

It also includes e-mail-based support, match programs, and survivor-facilitated support groups. All questions are answered by peer counselors who are rigorously screened, trained and certified to help callers by giving emotional support and information about breast cancer procedures and treatment options.

Here are actual comments from callers:

“I didn’t know who to call, I needed to talk, I was frightened and I needed information. Thank you for being there for me.”

“I was feeling very vulnerable, sad and in shock. It was late at night and I found support through your service.”

“Your counselor was most helpful—compassionate, soft spoke and got me through a difficult night.”

“You are wonderful. You have been there from the first day I was diagnosed ‘til now.”

Peer counselors coach callers on how to communicate effectively with their doctors, and encourage them to be the key players on their health care teams. In addition, callers can be paired with match peer counselors who share similar diagnoses, ages or experiences.

Breast Cancer Network of Strength does not endorse specific treatment options or protocols and peer counselors do not give medical advice. They do, however, replace fear with facts and help patients understand how to weigh their options to make more personalized treatment decisions.

Since breast cancer affects not just the patient but the whole family and circle of friends, anyone touched by breast cancer or who is concerned about breast health can use the Network of Strength’s confidential and free services.

For breast cancer support or information including publications and newsletters, visit Breast Cancer Network of Strength or call 1-800-221-2141 (English, with interpreters available in 150 languages).

Organization spotlight: Living Beyond Breast Cancer

NOTE: I did not write this article. The author of this article is not known. It was sent to me by E-mail.

(NAPS)—Thanks to medical advances, more women are surviving a breast cancer diagnosis than ever before. That’s one reason it’s important to support the emotional healing process by addressing a spectrum of “survivorship” concerns.

Every woman deals with a diagnosis of breast cancer in her own way. You may have concerns about your long-term health or your emotional well-being. You may fear breast cancer could return. You are finding a “new normal”—integrating a history with breast cancer into your life experience. For those who are making the transition into that “new normal” and starting to return to a regular routine, here are some tips from Living Beyond Breast Cancer, a national nonprofit organization for coping with the medical, emotional and practical concerns when treatment ends and the rest of life begins.

• Speak with your doctor to create a long-term followup plan. Whether you’re one year or 10 years out from your diagnosis, as a breast cancer survivor, it’s important to speak with your doctor to determine your
schedule for ongoing medical checkups to monitor your health. It may also be beneficial to ask your doctor about how to manage lingering side effects, such as fatigue, bone loss, hot flashes, weight gain or lymphedema.
• Keep your medical records and appointments organized. Request a printed copy and organize your medical reports so they will be easier to reference during your follow-up care. And keep a calendar updated with your upcoming checkups and any tests you may have. While you are in follow-up care, it’s very important to follow through with the medical visits your doctor has recommended for you.
• Understand that you may need to create a new “normal.” Breast cancer can be a defining experience. You may want your life to return to the way it was before your diagnosis. While that may be the case for some women, for many others, breast cancer changes their outlook and perspective. Take the time to sort out your emotions and priorities. Don’t feel pressured to “bounce back” immediately after treatment ends.
• Take care of your emotional health. Breast cancer survivors may experience various feelings and stages of anxiety, depression, anger or loneliness. For some women, the shock of diagnosis doesn’t take full affect until after treatment ends. First and foremost, you need to know that these emotions are normal. One way to ease your emotions is by staying connected to those who make you feel most comfortable sharing your feelings. You can reach out to breast cancer organizations, such as Living Beyond Breast Cancer, that offer telephone-matching services and can connect you to another woman in similar circumstances. Also, remember that trained therapists can help you along your journey. Regular exercise can be very helpful in improving your mood and outlook on life.
• Live beyond your breast cancer. Don’t let breast cancer define you or hinder future possibilities. Remember to live each day with hope and take time to enjoy the simple pleasures in life. You may be physically and emotionally drained but remember, you have done everything you can to fight the cancer. Feel proud of your hard work and now take time to recapture and enjoy your life. At every stage of your breast cancer journey, Living Beyond Breast Cancer can help. For more information, visit www.lbbc.org to download or order free education resources that provide emotional comfort and support. Founded in 1991, Living Beyond Breast Cancer is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering all women affected by breast cancer to live as long as possible with the best quality of life. For more information, visit www.lbbc.org or call the organization’s toll-free Survivors’ Helpline at (888) 753-LBBC (5222).

Living Beyond Breast Cancer
Healthy Ideas
Living Beyond Breast Cancer, a national nonprofit organization, has resources for coping with the medical, emotional and practical concerns of breast cancer at every stage of your journey. For more information, visit
www.lbbc.org or call (888) 753-5222.

You can put cancer into context and learn how to move forward and live beyond your diagnosis. Thanks to medical advances, more women are surviving a breast cancer diagnosis than ever before. /// Living Beyond Breast Cancer

Personal note from Dawn: LBBC has started a blog here: LBBC's Blog

Organization spotlight: Ruta Pink

Today's blog post will feature a breast cancer prevention organization in Puerto Rico called Ruta Pink. Here is some info:

Last year, Doral Bank in Puerto Rico teamed up with Susan G Komen for the Cure and launched “Ruta Pink” (or Pink Route). Ruta Pink consists of a pink mobile mammogram clinic that stops through various towns in Puerto Rico, offering women (and men) free mammograms, biopsies and referrals – with or without health insurance.

Since launching in June of 2008, Ruta Pink’s medical team has performed over 2,200 mammograms. In addition to offering mammograms, the Ruta Pink program also offers free cancer prevention seminars to the general public, and offers contributions to the Susan G Komen foundation.

You can read more about Ruta Pink at Ruta Pink (click English in upper right corner), or visit their new youtube page at www.youtube.com/rutapink

They’ve also recently been written about in Everyday Health, FastCompany, Brandweek, and more!

Pink Ribbon Breakfast

The next time you eat breakfast, why not do so for a worthy cause? National Pink Ribbon Day is on Monday, October 26th, and this is also the day hundreds will be holding a "Pink Ribbon Breakfast."

The National Breast Cancer Foundation has come up with the Pink Ribbon Breakfast. The Pink Ribbon Breakfast is just one more way to raise funds for and promote breast cancer awareness. It was started in Australia but anyone overseas can participate.

Find out more about it here:
Pink Ribbon Breakfast

The Avon Crusade Tote

Every year, the national cosmetics retailer, Avon, Inc., creates specials and events to benefit breast cancer research and awareness. One of the things they are doing this year is offering the very nifty and pretty Avon Crusade Tote. Designed by Maimekko, this handy tote can be yours for only $10. So why not buy a new bag for a cause?

The new Avon Crusade Tote is only $10 and 100% of the net profits will be donated to the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade.

Check it out here: Avon Crusade Tote

Breast Cancer Awareness Fundraiser and drawing

The Web site Temptalia.com is holding a Breast Cancer Awareness Fundraiser for October. Last year, they were able to raise $1,180 to go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. This year, they hope to raise $2,000, which will go to The Breast Cancer Research Fund.

To encourage donations from visitors, for every $5 donated, you will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a variety of make-up and beauty products. There will be eight winners total.

To find out more, visit their site:
Breast Cancer Awareness 2009 Fundraiser

More events and specials honoring Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Here are more events, opportunities and specials taking place during October in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This list is not exhaustive. More will be added in future blog posts. Happy shopping and participating!



The radio station WRVQ Q94.5 (Richmond, Virginia) is partnering with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation for the 3rd Annual "Q94 Bras on Broad!" for the month of October. They are collecting bras and for every bra collected, they will donate $1 to the Foundation. On October 23rd, all bras donated will be stretched out along Broad Street.
The 3rd Annual Q94 Bras On Broad



In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Save-A-Lot has partnered with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation and donated $100,000 towards the fight against breast cancer. In recognition of this and to promote the occasion, NASCAR has created a special pink race car with the Save-A-Lot brand. Additionally, you can purchase a special pink reusable bag at any Save-A-Lot store for only 99 cents.
Save-A-Lot joins fight for breast cancer awareness



Darphin, a skin care company, will donate $20 from each sale of Arovita C Energic Firming Cream to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Darphin.com



When you buy Boscia Rose Blotting Linens, a portion of the purchase will go towards breast cancer research.



"American Airlines and American Eagle employees are joining forces throughout October to do their part in the fight against breast cancer. Among the activities scheduled in celebration of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, American and American Eagle are encouraging their nearly 90,000 employees to "think pink" as they participate in the Susan G. Komen for the Cure(®) program Passionately Pink for the Cure(®) on Friday, Oct. 16." Among the ways the airlines are participating is by offering pink menus and any item purchased off of these menus will result in a 10% donation towards breast cancer research. "American kicked off its month-long observance last week with a special gift card offer: during October, when customers purchase an American Airlines Gift Card and specify Komen as the beneficiary, American will donate $5 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure for every $50 of travel purchased via the gift card. To purchase gift cards and support Susan G. Komen for the Cure, consumers can go to AA.com/giftcard. When completing payment information, "Komen" must be entered in the tracking code box in order for the donation to be made. Gift cards must be purchased by Oct. 31 for the 10 percent donation to be made to Komen, and it applies only to online purchases." Read all about all of their specials and programs here: American Airlines Celebrates National Breast Cancer Awareness Month



The Web site, ShopAtHome.com, is also participating in Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Go to this page and click on a retailer to shop from. With every purchase made through that click, they will donate $1 to breast cancer charities.


In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the company, TeleBrands, has created a special Limited Edition Pink PedEgg decorated with the universally recognized pink ribbon. You can purchase it for $10 at this site and it is available only for a limited time. The company is donating $50,000 of sales of this PedEgg to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Organization spotlight: Breast Cancer Solutions

The Breast Cancer Survivors organization was formed in 1998. They have recently changed their name to Breast Cancer Solutions.

They are a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting anyone who has been affected with breast cancer, either as a patient or as a survivor.

They have contributed more than $2,600,000 to support 1100 people affected by breast cancer. Unfortunately, they only assist people located in Southern California.

They not only assist patients on a financial level but they also become an advocate for that person to receive treatment and information during the course of the disease.

In order to continue their services and assistance to anyone affected by breast cancer seeking their help, they hold fundraisers, accept donations and offer volunteer positions.

Their Web site: Breast Cancer Solutions

Their contact information:

Breast Cancer Solutions
270 Bristol Street, #101-142
Costa Mesa , CA 92626-7940

866.960.9222 phone
866.781.6068 fax
info@bcsurvivors.org

Blogs Against Breast Cancer 2009

Yesterday's blog post showed how just one click can help a woman receive a free mammogram this month. Now, all it takes is just one image!

The Web site Diets in Review.com is doing something in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For all of October, if you include the above image on your blog, they will donate $5 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation in honor of your site.

I have included the image above for today's blog post. I am also including it on the side of my blog.

I am excited and grateful to see a web site being so generous and active in fighting for the cause. It's all in the power of your blog! So visit their site today, copy the image to your blog, and you will have just contributed to the fight against breast cancer.

Blogs Against Breast Cancer 2009

The Breast Cancer Site "Click to give" for October

The Breast Cancer Site is partnered with the non-profit organization, the National Breast Cancer Foundation. For the month of October, they are holding a "click to give" program which will help women receive a free mammogram. For every click on their pink button, a sponsor will pay for a mammogram that will help a low-income woman who may not otherwise have been able to receive one.

The Breast Cancer Site is affiliated with CharityUSA.com, which also owns and operates sites such as The Hunger Site, The Child Health Site, The Literacy Site, The Rainforest Site and The Animal Rescue Site. All of these sites have a "click to give" program. One click will mean a sponsor contributes to the designated cause.

To help a woman receive a free mammogram, please visit The Breast Cancer Site today and "click to give."

The Breast Cancer Site

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure T-shirt Design Contest

Do you have an artistic side?

The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation is holding a contest! They are soliciting submissions of designs for their newest T-shirt, which will be worn by hundreds of participants in next year's Race For the Cure. The deadline to enter is November 8, 2009.

Read all about it here: It's All About the Shirt!

Businesses supporting breast cancer research and NBCAM

The following is a list of just some businesses and corporations which are taking steps to support breast cancer awareness and breast cancer research as part of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I will include more later.

For the entire month of October, Hungry Howie's Pizza will be using pink boxes for their pizzas, complete with a pink ribbon on each box. And for every pizza ordered, they will make a donation to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. This will take place at every Hungry Howie's Pizza location. You can find a location of a Hungry Howie's Pizza at their Web site: Hungry Howie's Pizza



Breath of the Dragon, which creates unique and custom wood burning designs, has an inventory of breast cancer awareness items specifically created in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A portion of the sales will be donated to a local women's resource center. You can check it all out here: Breath of the Dragon



For the month of October, Target is selling pink ribbons in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For every ribbon sold, they are donating to breast cancer charities. Likewise, a New York-based Target is all pink for October, donating 100% of proceeds from sales to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. There are other merchandise available specifically for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You can buy from them in stores or at their Web site: Breast Cancer Awareness items



Bornstein Seafoods is selling pink salmon decorated in pink cans and wrappings in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The seafood company's co-owner, Sharyn Bornstein, is a breast cancer survivor. For every can sold, they will donate $1 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Find a location on their Web site: Bornstein Seafoods



Olive Juice, a company that sells children's clothing, is also donating to the cause. The company's founder, Maryellen Kane, knows the pain associated with breast cancer: She watched her mother battle breast cancer for years. For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, they are donating $1 for every purchase made to Cuddle My Kids, a company that helps families affected by cancer. Visit them on the Web here: Olive Juice



The company Exygon Health and Fitness teamed up with CYBEX International by installing pink treadmills in their offices. for every mile ran on the treadmills, they are donating 10 cents to breast cancer research organizations. Here is their site: SETCHomepage.com



When you buy a Hobo International pink clutch bag, the company will donate 25% of proceeds to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Find out more here: Hobo International Jolie Cosmetics Bag

Special guest blog post by Sue Chehrenegar

Residents of Nebraska Join the Battle against Breast Cancer

After Tracey Bartlett DuPont failed to win her fight against breast cancer, her husband decided to set up a foundation in her name. He called it the Tracey Bartlett DuPont Foundation. To go online and read about this new breast cancer organization, the Internet viewer should enter this URL:
Tracy Bartlett DuPont Foundation
(http://www.programmerpro.info/Tracy/).

“Tracy’s Angels,” those who have assisted with the establishment of this organization, have chosen to direct their efforts towards progress in three separate areas. They have decided to allocate a part of their Foundation money to the establishment of nursing scholarships. A second portion of the Foundation money will help to fund a new state of the art hospital.

Once a sufficient amount of the Foundation money has supported the creation of nursing scholarships and the building of a new hospital, the remaining money will cover the costs of selected breast cancer research and development programs. At the same time, the Foundation website will continue to post information on the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.

Because Tracy’s husband is a programmer, he has organized his website with an eye to the needs of the breast cancer patient and the breast cancer survivor. In fact, his website focuses on delivery of information to those two groups of women. So, do not think that you need to be a programming pro, in order to benefit from visiting this Foundation website.


Sue Chehrenegar became a freelance writer about six years ago, after devoting 30 years to the pursuit of a career in biomedical research. Sue has been writing online content about health related issues since 2004. Sue has also done some grant writing, as well as composing articles for a couple children's magazines.

Wordless Wednesday

Go Dutch!

From Eugene's local paper, The Register-Guard:

Dutch Bros. Coffee to hold benefit for ALS awareness

Dutch Bros. Coffee locations will donate proceeds from all coffee sales between 5:30 a.m. and 11 p.m. Friday to the Muscular Dystrophy Association to raise awareness of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease).

The drive is held in support of company co-founder, Dane Boersma, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2005. Last year, Dutch Bros. contributed $80,000 to the MDA for research and family services funding.

All Dutch Bros. Coffee locations in Oregon, Colorado, Washington, California, Idaho, Nevada and Arizona will participate. For a list of area stores, visit www.­dutchbros.com.

As someone who's all for promoting a charity event, I spread the word about this one-day-only event on MySpace. And I'm going to spread the word about it here, too! Yay!

Fortunately, I don't have to go far to find a nearby Dutch Bros Coffee location. Actually, all I have to do is cross my street, walk to the corner, cross, and there it is! I can see it from my house, lit up at night. Ahhhh, coffee.

I often go to Dutch Bros when I'm in the mood for their ER-911 coffee. Or a Kahlua Kicker or Annihilator. Their newest drink, the Cappuccino Freeze, is very STRONG coffee but also very yummy. It's like a frozen cappuccino!

Granted, I do like Starbucks, too. And the Dari Mart has a "No Wimps Allowed" coffee that I enjoy when I can head on over there, too. But only Dutch Bros will give you coffees mixed with candies like Almond Joy and Milky Way, and Italian Sodas, energy drinks and even muffin tops! There is something for everyone at Dutch Bros!

So if there is a local Dutch Bros in your area, consider stopping by and "doing your part" by buying something. Not only will you get the satisfaction of a great-tasting coffee, but also a good feeling in contributing towards a worthy cause.

(Apologies to readers if this blog post sounds too much like a commercial. Hm, maybe I should pursue that kind of writing job instead of freelancing!)

The things we do for our church

Every year, the church which I am a member of holds a gift donation drive for families with imprisoned parents. All gifts go to the children in these families. Because my church has done so much for both me and my daughter, I try to give back in every way that I can. Participating in this annual gift drive is just one of my ways of giving back.

Plus, I have a weakness for all things involving charity and assisting others in need. So of course I wanted to participate, anyway!

But because I've had trouble keeping up attendance at church (my daughter has been having...issues with the church and faked illnesses), I was not able to get the papers needed for this or to select a child to give gifts to. But, thankfully, I was able to contact one of the event organizers by email and made arrangements to drop off gifts for the child I selected.

So the plan was to go to Target yesterday and get the gifts. We would ALL go after picking Jennifer up from school.

Well, that was the PLAN, anyway. Something came up with my husband's side job and we couldn't go out. So we talked and decided I'd go in the morning. I found out via my friend that I had until 10 a.m. the next morning to drop off the gifts.

The problem was, this morning, I was not able to take a shower. (Don't ask.) I usually get up anywhere from 5-6 a.m. in order to have a little "me time" in the mornings before the chaos of the day starts up and I was fine on the time. JUST COULDN'T SHOWER!! And because I was dirty, I didn't want to put on clean clothes. Sooo, I ended up running around in my pajama pants. (I slept in a regular long-sleeved T-shirt and wore a sweatshirt from the other day.)

And I was literally RUNNING! LOL I was going so fast to get Jennifer dressed and off to school, get a load of laundry done, change the baby, go out and get the gifts, wrap the gifts, throw laundry in dryer, take a shower and get dressed.

But it was the whole "get the gifts" part that was interesting. I don't normally run out and about in my PJ's, though I know some people do. I'm just not comfortable with that. I HAVE gone out in my PJ's for fun, but later changed into regular day clothes. So it was a little weird wearing my PJ pants when I ran these errands. (Note: They are not regular PJ pants per se, but lounge pants. Still not your normal pants-worn-in-daytime thing, though!)

On my way to Target, I drove REALLY fast. The stoplights were all green and I thought that was pretty cool. God was on my side! Yay! But I worried about the speeding. At least if an officer stopped me for speeding, I could honestly say, "I'm on a mission from God!"

Which...is true, anyway.

Well, I flew through Target and got the items. Problem was, there was a hold-up at the register. The machine had troubles. GAH!! Two different people had to come over and fix it.

THEN I had to get the wrapping paper and gift box. (Forgot them at Target.) THEN my husband texted me to let me know we needed baby powder. So I went into a FOURTH place wearing my PJ pants! I was running at this point.

Anyway, the rest of the stuff happened. I got back home at 8:45. I got the laundry from the washing machine at the laundromat that we'd stopped at on the way to taking Jennifer to school, threw it in the dryer then wrapped the gifts. As I wrapped the gifts, I had some trouble with the wrapping paper and it ended up looking a little funny. I swear, I can NEVER decently wrap a gift!! I have tried but it was never up to snuff. My family jokes that they KNOW a wrapped present came from me just by looking at it. (Someday I hope I will be a better gift wrapper.)

After that, I got the laundry out, jumped into the shower (skipping washing my hair to save time -- woot!), got dressed and got on out of there. When I got to the church, the doors were locked. Gah! I couldn't figure out how to get in! Oh nos! So I eventually made it to a window and a teacher inside told me how to get in. (You need to know the code, people! LOL) When I got inside of the foyer, I RAN to get to the office on the other side of the building. I was running, clutching the gifts and hoping I didn't drop them and break one of them. (Again: You can tell it's a gift from ME! Haha)

But when I got to the office....just five minutes before 10....NO ONE was there. The doors were open, the lights were on, but it was...empty.

I rang the bell on the desk. And I waited. And waited. Eventually, I looked around and asked, "Hello?" I started to worry that maybe they left and just forgot to lock up.

Then I turned to see a lady smiling as she walked up to me. I explained I was a member of the church and donating for the gift drive. Etc., etc. Gave her all the info and she wrote it down then thanked me for the gifts.

I left the church grateful at being able to get all that done in time. I was also grateful that I finally got my shower and showed up at the church office clean, perfumed and wearing clean decent clothes.

More than that, though: I'm also grateful that, these days, it's socially acceptable to go out and about in your PJ's.

'Tis the season to be giving

It's that time of the year again! That time when we need to reach out to others and try to help others in some way, so that other people who have it hard will be able to enjoy their holidays. I have been reading about all of these job losses everybody is going through and it makes me sad because I know it means a lot of families are going to be hurting this Christmas. There are so many hardly able to put food on the table, as it is. But at this time of the year, I know it's important to reach out and try to help the homeless and the families who are struggling to get by. They need it now more than ever.

This is something I have been trying to stress to Jennifer. It's more important to give than to receive. It's more important to help others who don't have the help they need. Every year I try to do something charitable during the Christmas season. This year, we're doing three things so far: Donating canned goods to a food drive Jennifer's school is holding, donating a toy to Toys For Tots and sponsoring a child for Christmas in my church's Angel Tree program. I've done the Angel Tree thing before, and even though I could not be there to actually stay, I dropped off the donation and just felt so good inside for doing something like that. (The program is for children in families whose parents are imprisoned.) Of course I want to do more, but there's only so many charitable events I am able to learn about going on in time.

But the big thing I want to do this year is pass on to Jennifer just how important it is to be charitable. I am trying to stress to her the importance of giving to others, and I really want this to be a part of her character when she grows up.

My mom made sure it was a part of mine.

When I was little, my mom relied heavily on charitable help. With seven kids and a struggling income, it was hard for us to have enough food to eat or even presents for Christmas. Many times, charitable organizations, and even our local Catholic church, helped us out. In return, we did the same. My mom got all of us involved in participating in the gift and food drives the church held, and I spent many a time during my high school years volunteering to help struggling families who had no money, clothing or food. Sometimes, we even took food out of our own cabinets to give to others who had none! So I was definitely raised having that sensitivity to others who were not as fortunate as us.

This is something I want to pass on to my own children. I want them to know how important it is to help those who are in need. I have been spending a lot of time explaining to Jennifer that there are kids out there who have it harder than she does. They don't have a Mommy or Daddy. They don't have a lot of toys. Their clothes are old and torn up. They don't have a home to live in, a bed to sleep in or even enough food to eat. This is why I get upset with her when she wastes her food. I don't like waste. And I have told her many times there are people in this world who are starving and don't have as much food to eat as she does.

When we went to donate to Toys For Tots the other day, I had to take the time to explain to Jennifer why we were doing this. It was because we were helping a family out there who couldn't afford Christmas presents. We were helping a little boy or a little girl who wouldn't have a Christmas present if it weren't for us helping them.

She looked at the toy Marine truck we were donating and said, "I wish I could get this."

I looked at her and said to her the same thing my mother said to me years ago, when I felt sad over giving away one of my toys: "That's going to make some little boy very happy on Christmas."

She looked at me and her eyes lit up. She clutched that toy as though it were very special and said, "I want to give it to them."

That was when I could see it. That was when I knew. Maybe, just maybe, she was finally starting to get why we even give in the first place.

We are all in this world together

Yesterday, Jen and I did some last-minute Father's Day shopping while we were also getting a birthday present for a little boy's birthday party we had to go to. After we were done, as I waited for Jennifer to finish riding the mechanical horse, I noticed a woman standing outside of the store with a pushcart next to her, in which was a toddler and a store bag with baby formula in it. She held up an index card with writing on it. People who left the store didn't even look at her. I felt bad over such insensitivity and walked outside to read what her card said. To paraphrase, she had no money to buy food for her three children and she needed some help. I was grateful that she did, at least, have enough money to buy the formula. I became angry that so many people had just passed her right by, ignoring her and not reaching out to help. Well, I'm going to help! So I opened my purse and gave her a $5 bill, telling her I wish I could give more but I really couldn't. I just had the $5 to spare.

Seeing her, though, it brought back memories. I remembered how it was when I was divorced: I barely had enough money to put food on the table for my child. I can still remember the time she came to me saying she was hungry and all we had was a box of crackers. My parents occasionally wired us a little money here and there to help out, too, but here again, you know, the money can only go so far until next week. But at least they were able to give us more than $10! (This hardship lasted until, thank the Lord, I got two jobs that brought in extra money to buy food: Babysitting and housecleaning.) So in a way, I could relate to this woman's situation. And I only had one child to feed instead of three!

But there was also something that I could relate to here: The $5 I gave to here. I really, really wanted to give her more, but I couldn't. And I was trying to think of what she could buy for her children to feed them with that $5. She could buy a box of cereal and milk. Spaghetti and meat sauce. Canned soup or stew. Bread and a jar of peanut butter. Some fruit.

Believe me, I know all about trying to stretch that food money. And here again comes another memory: I was able to receive food benefit from the state. But because I have an annuity, I was only able to get $10 a month in food benefit. Yep, you read that right: $10 a month to feed one child. And believe me, that $10 was practically the bulk of what food money I had for us until I got those jobs. The "magic" of being a divorced mom is that you have to pay for EVERYTHING -- rent, utilities, home repair, gas, etc. -- and we got child support in bits and pieces. (Yeah, it was a pretty hard time until I got those jobs.) So I know all about trying to stretch that food money. I used coupons a lot and shopped at a grocery warehouse whenever possible. We wouldn't have even had a Thanksgiving unless my church gave us a box of food complete with a turkey. (And I have since donated money to their Thanksgiving food drive as a way of showing my gratitude for this.)

Now some may see this kinda thing and think, "She was probably some con artist trying to get free money." Or, "That kid probably wasn't even hers." You know what? All of that doesn't matter. It even didn't matter if she was just trying to get money to buy booze! If I just got swindled by a con artist, so what. I still felt good about giving her the $5. I had a smile on my face after doing that. (I had an even bigger smile after I saw other people walk up to her and help her out, too.) The giving was its reward.

But all of that "memory" stuff isn't what compelled me to reach out to this woman and help her. I did it for a bigger reason: Because I was able to. And because I truly believe that we are all in this world together, and we all need to be there for each other no matter what. We need to tear down the walls of discrimination, the walls of prejudice and status, and reach out to help other people when they need that help. We can't say "I'm better than you" or "you're just a lazy bum who only wants a handout" because hunger sees no status and no difference. Hunger affects ALL of us and it really does hit all of us hard. Hunger is a very real problem for a lot of people, and we just can't look the other way.

I really think it's unfair of people to have somebody go hungry instead of helping them out. I think it's unfair that there are people who refuse to give just because they are stingy or they don't want to "encourage" other people to be "deadbeats." (And I REALLY think that right there is a myth. One of my brothers was once homeless, and he had four kids to feed. He'd be out there on the street begging for money for food, just so he could feed his children. And where is he today? He has a job, he's getting an education, his children are getting an education, and he has his own house to live in. So, no, we DO NOT encourage people to keep being deadbeats if we give them something to help out!!)

We are all in this world together. It's not about how different we are from each other, how our status is different, how our color or religion is different, or how the past was bad. We are all in this world together! And we need to be there for each other and help each other out, no matter what.