Well it has been awhile since I’ve posted.  Time just gets away from me, but I so love to write that I must return to it! 

Operation Shower has been keeping me busy — we held two Mother’s Day showers — at Ft. Hood and at Scott AIr Force base and sent “showers in a box” to 65 deserving moms-to-be! It was so much fun and such an honor to meet the women for whom this organization was formed! Here is a picture, courtesy of Angela B Photography, of the wonderful group at Ft. Hood! 

I will be providing more pictures soon and information on the sponsors and the wonderful support we had !

Posted under Charities, Giving to Others

If you haven’t checked out Operation Shower recently, please do!  We have updated our look and are planning lots of great events.  We are busily planning our April fundraiser (please come!), which will help support our May showers in Texas and Illinois for wonderful groups of military moms to be! 

Posted under Charities, Giving to Others

On Wednesdays, we hope to write about “giving to others”  or “giving back” as part of our Happiness Project.

Check out the new “I’m Tired of  . .” bracelets to support your favorite cause.   Whether you are tired of cancer, global warming, AIDs or any other world issue, you can declare it with these bracelets.  They are much more stylish than the silicone bracelets everyone wears, and they are environmentally friendly as they are made from recycled tires (get it — I’m “tired” of . . ) and metals. 

For every $10 bracelet sold, the company donates $5 (that’s half) to important causes. “You pick the cause and your bracelet and the donation will automatically be made on your behalf.” These are also a simple gift idea that looks great and can be worn by men, women and teens.

Posted under Charities, Giving to Others

On Wednesdays, we hope to write about “giving to others” as part of our Happiness Project.

We love the Learning Cents Trio Bank ($20) !  It has three attached banks for (1) spending; (2) saving and (3) giving.  It is a great resource for helping your child learn about all three ways to allocate his or her money.  The saving bank opens from the bottom and is a little harder to access, illustrating that it is not to be as freely accessed. 

Whether you give an allowance or you use the banks to help your child allocate birthday or holiday money, these banks are great learning tools.  It also comes with dry erase markers so you can help your child track the amount in the banks. 

With the economic times as they are, this is a great gift to help children learn to manage money early. It’s also never too early to illustrate that, when possible, giving to others should be part of the equation (we recently used some of my son’s “giving” money to buy dog supplies for the local animal shelter).

Posted under Giving to Others

On Wednesdays, we hope to write about “giving to others” as part of our Happiness Project.   

Yesterday was such an historic day, with the inauguration of the first African-American President.  My son was able to watch the inaugural address at school and my husband and I watched it at home.  It was a great moment for America, but the best thing about President Obama’s election seems to be that he realizes that it is not about him.  It’s about us. It’s about community and togetherness, but also about the importance of each individual.  

I thought one of President Obama’s most important  lines from his speech came after discussing all the problems facing America . He stated  that “[l]ess measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.”  

It is nice to know that he recognizes that people are doubting, people are struggling and people are losing confidence.  It seems too often over the last few years that many have felt that things are falling apart with little we can do to help it.  We have not been asked to help; we have not been asked to be part of the solution.  However, one of Obama’s strongsuits seems to be that he acknowledges our fears and then enlists each of us to do our part in fighting through them  – his call for service and accountability on our parts is needed and beneficial.  When we feel like we are part of the solution, we are empowered and our confidence can stay strong. 

This year was the first year I have spent time on Martin Luther King Day performing acts of service. It was a great day as we held a book drive for miltary families with my son. He was very excited to be a part of it as we decorated with red, white and blue balloons and greeted people as they stopped by with books.  It felt great, for as President Obama seems to realize, as you give to others, you get a little more for yourself as well.

Posted under Giving to Others

Every Wednesday, we hope to write about “giving to others” as part of our Happiness Project.   

“When hope is not pinned wriggling onto a shiny image or expectation, it sometimes floats forth and opens.” Anne Lamott

We just got back from a trip to KC for Thanksgiving.  We would have preferred to stay at our own home and host a big family gathering, but in the spirit of giving (of our selves) we journeyed to the homes of our childhood.  We spent Turkey Day with Dan’s parents, a joyful day-after-thanksgiving at Union Station and Crown Center with the Barmann clan and a Saturday full of swimming at a community center while it snowed outside.   Throughout the holiday weekend I had moments of feeling the fullness and joy of life unfolding while being connected to the city we grew up in, the places we used to go when I was little, and choosing how to spend the holiday with our growing nuclear and extended family.  This feeling didn’t come from the things that were planned (many of them didn’t work out as planned anyway) but from moments in between.

We are thankful for so much, including:

• the opportunity to parent two healthy kids
• getting to go back home to KC to see our big family then coming back home and decorating our christmas tree
• volunteers at union station in kc who return kids who have lost their parents
• lifeguards who jump in to “save” a four year old going down a big waterslide backwards
• people who put up wild holiday decorations year after year
• our jobs, our house, our cars and all of the material blessings which keep us comfortable and healthy
• parents, sisters, brothers, cousins, aunts, uncles, life long friends, new friends, being married to our best friend
• many chances in one day, week, trip, holiday, year to laugh

I think that giving up the idea of hosting the holiday at our house and traveling made way for an unexpected peacefulness when we got home.  When we arrived home, we made a big dinner, ate in the dining room, put holiday music on loud and hung ornaments on the Christmas tree.  It was totally unplanned and just perfect.  While we were decorating our tree, we found some it-bit ornaments that I forgot we had (My friend Carolyn calls little babies “it-bits”, short for itty-bitty.  I love words and this makes me laugh).  And then we found some mini-it-bits and some tiny-mini-it-bits.  There was joy at the core of my soul when Grace referred to the ornaments this way with a twinkle in her eye.  She is one of us.

I tell my kids as often as I can how happy I am that are with us and that they belong with us.  I hope with all of my heart that they feel through their life that they do.  I know it will evolve and change and hope that I can always see them for their individual souls as well as their part of us.  We are certainly all connected and the holidays give us a chance to enjoy that, struggle with it, laugh about it and then clean it all up and resolve to do better next year.  But before we get there, we kicked off the 2008 holiday season and we’re ready to go!

Posted under Giving to Others, Happiness Project

Every Wednesday, we hope to write about “giving to others” as part of our Happiness Project.   

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven [...] A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away”, originally Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, more recently lots of folk singers

Knowing that the saying “change is the only constant” is true, it still feels like there are some huge ones going on right now.  The Election.  The Economy.  The Environment.  I have heard my husband say we need to “batten down the hatches” so many times in the last two weeks.   “We” means our immediate family, our employers, our nation, our planet, maybe even martians - anyone and everyone.  Every time he says it, he’s talking about how scary our economic crisis is and will be.  I laugh in my head every time he says it.  It isn’t funny, but I laugh for two reasons: one, he has never really been on a boat, so I know he has never battened any hatches but he keeps saying it and two, he is the least dramatic person in the universe but he keeps saying it.  

The other day, I (me, the dramatic one, the one prone to catastrophe-think) was encouraging him to stop talking about it in such a disastrous tone.  I told him that I’d be happy to talk about the choices we have in the matter, how even the worst (losing a job, selling our house, moving to a small apartment) wouldn’t be bad at all as long as we have each other and our health and how my bird-flu stash really might come in handy when the riots break out.

I have realized over time that it creates harmony for me when I approach things that seem overwhelming based on a choice.  It is empowering.  I learned to say to my kids “you have a choice to make” when I was hoping to see a change in their behavior.  Giving them a choice between a positive outcome and a consequence empowers them too.  It works.

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Posted under Giving to Others, Happiness Project

Every Wednesday, we hope to write about “giving to others” as part of our Happiness Project.   Today, I want to share with you a really wonderful company , resa design, that is hosting an online baby registry in support of Operation Shower.   Thank you Resa Design, Julian & Co and other companies that join this project!   I am so thankful for companies like this that make Operation Shower possible! 

Resa Design, Julian & Co., and other independent designers have teamed up to host an online gift registry to support Operation Shower, a non-profit organization sending and hosting baby showers for expectant military spouses and personnel.

Mother and independent designer, Resa Troyer, of resadesign.com, is committed to give back to US Military families by teaming up with Operation Shower.  

Beginning November 15, 2008, resadesign.com will play host to an online baby registry and shower where all the gifts go to military moms-to-be or spouses. Products from Resa Design‘s accessory line have been selected and made available at super low prices.  Customers and visitors will have the opportunity to add any of the gift registry items to their personal purchases, or shop solely for Operation Shower. Resa Design has committed to shipping the designated purchases directly to Operation Shower’s home office in St.Louis, Missouri for distribution in ‘showers-in-a-box’ and event showers on military bases.  ”I can not begin to imagine being pregnant, birthing a baby, or raising a newborn while my husband is on the other side of the world.  When I heard about Operation Shower and what they were doing I knew this was something Resa Design could get behind. Expecting a child is such a special season of life. All new mom‘s should be showered with great goodies and lots of love. Military moms-to-be and spouses deserve all our support, and if we can do that by way of special baby gifts, I’m all for it.” -Resa Design owner, Resa Troyer.

Resa Design products are not the only items available. Southern California’s Julian & Co. has also committed to participate by offering their stunning Galleria Necklace at more than 60% off. More designers and products are expected to be added in days to come and throughout the year.  

Creative ways customers can get involved with the Operation Shower registry at Resadesign.com:

•Give a gift on behalf of someone else. (tribute cards are available)
•Give to Operation Shower instead of a birthday or holiday gift.
•Invite your playgroup over and gather around the computer to host a baby shower on behalf of Operation Shower.
•Have scouts raise funds and make purchases for Operation Shower.

Posted under Baby, Charities, Giving to Others, Happiness Project

Operation Shower has made the news!   Click here to see the latest video from Great Day St Louis!

Posted under Charities, Giving to Others