Hello Again!! Let me start by saying I didn't even come close to 29 RAOK but I did do 7 and here is how the day went down.
The night before I went to Walmart.com and searched around on the baby registry for just the right gift to send. I found a couple in Jackson, MS who are having a baby later this month. They did not have anything purchased on their registry yet. So I picked out this and had it shipped to them. That was super fun and I wish I could send everyone a gift!
On Wednesday, Jan 4th...
I sent Carter off to school with a backpack stuffed with novelty toys for the classroom treasure box.
After Carter got on the bus Josh and I savored some extra bed time. I got the laptop out and did a little birthday shopping for myself while Josh played some solitaire. All in the warmth of our cozy bed. Nice.
Then I requested he make me a bubble bath and he obliged! He served me our typical
airline drinks. Spicy Hot V-8 over ice and then a glass of Ginger Ale (also over ice...I am a true lover of ice in my drinks). I spared you the picture of that.
After that I got all ready for the day and left this treat in the mailbox for our lovely mail lady.
The next order of business was a trip to the local donut shop for these tasty beauts.
Josh and I got a little bag of donut holes to share while driving around. They are melt in your mouth awesomeness. YUM!
I was really shy at first to just walk into the Fire Station but I did it! When I walked in three firemen were just in their "living room" watching TV and using their laptops...just hanging out. They were extremely friendly which remedied my shyness. I told them I had a special delivery and told them thanks for all they do. They acted very appreciative and like these donuts were the best thing to ever happen to them. So this stop started my day off great and left me all smiley. (Josh stayed out in the car...he was my driver:)
The next stop was to Wal-Mart to get some supplies. We purchased microwave popcorn and a box of chocolates and 4 gas cards.
On our way out I taped one box of popcorn all over the Redbox machine and taped the little RAK signs that Shelby made on those. I hope that several people got one and that one person didn't come and just take them all. This was a very simple RAK and so easy to do and I hope it just made people smile and got them thinking about how they can do random acts of kindness.
Next we went to the gas pumps.I had 4 cards. I only put $5.00 on each but thought I would still be pretty stoked to find $5.00 in free gas waiting for me. On the signs I wrote "$5.00 for gas if you need it :) Pay it forward!". I said a little prayer that someone who needed it would find one. I hope they did.
Someone else did a kind act and left a gummy bear on this gas pump. I decided to pass and let the next person have it;)
From there we drove up the road to the Assisted Living Center. As soon as we walked in an elderly man greeted us and asked us to buy BBQ tickets for the 14th of this month. Of course we said yes and I am thrilled we have a reason to go back soon. We asked one of the nurses on duty if there was someone who would like to chat and could use the goodies we brought. (we brought a box of popcorn and a box of chocolates and fuzzy socks). She said there was man there who had been down lately and as soon as he was done with lunch she would bring him over. So we stuffed the socks in Josh's pocket. We waited for quite a while for lunch to end.
This is where we sat and waited. Matlock was on. It was cozy and very over warm.
Finally the nurse came back and said Eddy did not want any visitors after all so, she walked us down the long hall to meet Miss Odell. When walked into her room she was so friendly and greeted us like we were old friends. She offered us a spot on her couch and we chatted for about 20-30 minutes with her. She is 95 and from Prentiss, MS...a little town in the middle of the state. Her only son works at a hospital in Memphis and she was recently told she should no longer live by herself. So she moved to Hernando with her son and then into this assisted living home. It is a very nice place. The apartments/rooms are very spacious and nice. The place was very inviting and clean and Miss Odell raved about how good the food was. When we gave her the treats (we forgot the socks in Josh's pocket) she was just so grateful and exclaimed it was just like Christmas all over again. We asked her if we could come back and see her on Saturday when the BBQ is and bring Carter to meet her. She said she would love it. So I think we made a new friend and she was just delightful to talk to!
By that time we only had about 30 minutes before Carter was done with school so we headed home. Josh and Carter told me I had to hide while they wrapped presents. So I went in my room to read. I eventually fell into a blissful slumber. It was really good and when Carter put his face up to mine and whispered, "your party is ready" I had a really hard time coming out of it. But I hopped up and came out to the front room. There I found a birthday balloon waiting for me and Carter started the party music. We danced around for a minute and then I sat down to open my pile of presents. I got the before pics but didn't take one when they were all opened.
I had mentioned to Josh a couple days ago to take Carter to the dollar store and let him shop for me...that way whatever he picks out is only...well...a dollar! He will have the satisfaction of picking things out without Josh having to tell him no because he picked something too expensive that I really wouldn't want anyway. So this worked perfectly! Carter got me a bouquet of fake flowers, a blow horn, a really awesome purple star clapper on a beaded necklace, some puffed cheese corn...haha!, some BBQ flavored Lays that do not look appealing in the least, a light up UFO sky spinner toy which is actually lots of fun, and gyroscope toy thing. It was really fun to open his gifts and play with him.
Carter also picked out this card and wrote to me. Typical boy. He thought this was sooo hilarious. It is pretty funny, especially coming from him.
He even did his own rendition of the man with his buns on the ground. Awesome. "so party your buns off" he wrote. He threw me the best little party!
I told Carter to take a picture with only my face and to leave all my fat out of the picture. He followed directions pretty well...I am the one in the middle with the party horn.
Josh also got me card and promised me a special all day and night date next week. He also wrote a little coupon for me to pick 5 things and he would do them/get them for me. I am pondering on this carefully. I am so thankful for him. I am thrilled he wanted to spend the day with me and went around with me to all my little stops. He was very encouraging and told me I was doing a great thing. That is what I needed to hear. He is my best friend.
After that we hurried off to mutual. I had a presidency meeting early that night. My friend Cathy ran out after the meeting and brought back an ice cream cake and awesome chips and salsa and queso. The Young Women sang to me and to Laura Brady (the YW Pres)...her b-day was on the 2nd. I had my camera in my pocket but totally forgot to take a picture!
All in all it was a great day! I got several texts from cherished friends and family and a handful of wonderful phones calls. Casey spent the day before with me and got me fun gifts. Katie and Julie also sent me delightful gifts that I appreciate so much. DeAnn sent money and my mom sent me a surprise...it will be here tomorrow!
I do have people who love me and I learned on my birthday that I do matter and that my actions can have an impact on the world...even if it is by the smallest, slightest change...it will create a ripple. I most likely will never know what any of the RAKs did or how they affected the people who came across them but I pray they were received gratefully and that the recipients want to pass it on.
I still have list of RAKs to finish and decided I would use the entire month to get them done. I will keep you posted! Thank you to each of you who left me birthday wishes and to those of you who said you would join in! Let me know what you did or do your own post about it...maybe your post and act will inspire one of your readers and so on...the ripple effect:) Keep it going.
