Happy Thursday!

Hey all! I hope you all had a great Thursday. Todays random acts of kindness:

-Took a video of the girl I care for and sent it to her mom to brightened up her work day.
-Left a goofy voicemail for my sister to lighten up her travel across the country
-When I was leaving the pet store with a big bag of dog food slung over my shoulder, two different people held the doors for me.

Who did you make smile today?

A much needed smile

Lately, I have been in a funk and haven't been feeling very kind. I haven't been feeling well so I have come straight home from work so I haven't had opportunities to make others smile. I was thinking this evening that I needed someone to make me smile to bring me out of this bad mood I've been in. When my sister came home this evening, she made that happen.

For those of you who don't know me, I am an animal lover and dog rescuer. Specifically, I have a huge heart for pit bulls as they have unfairly received a poor reputation. I have two pit bulls myself and prior to my sister living with me, she had her reservations about them. However, not too long after spending some time in the same living space with these loyal dogs, she realized what wonderful dogs there truly are. So tonight when my sister came home, she handed me a bracelet that reads 'say no to dog fighting' as well as a pitbull t-shirt. The best part is, even though she was a previous pit bull skeptic, she got some for herself as well :)

 

Who did you make smile today?

Kindness in the midst of Nepal Tragedy

I know a girl who is currently living in Nepal. She is safe but had to spend her first night after the earthquake in an open field. Here are her recent facebook posts

 

This group of people have been displaced from their homes themselves. Instead of figuring out what is going to happen to them next and how to rebuild their life after the devastation, they are STILL putting others first. It's hard to see the light in the midst of such darkness, but their are many caring people do some extraordinary work in Nepal. Please continue to pray for their recovery efforts and donate if you are able.

 

Who did you make smile today?

Kindness at the Track

Sorry,  I worked late last night and didn't have time to post. I will cover yesterday in todays blog! I'm not very good and keeping up with this! Buuutt I guess it's better late than never.

Saturday:
We had a kart race this weekend and usually my dad stays at the track in a friends motorhome. However, our friends were unable to make it this weekend so I offered my dad a bed at my house (it's about 50 miles from the track). At first he declined, insisting that he could tough out the cold weather for one night and sleep in the trailer.  But after spending the entire day in the cold and rain he decided to accept my offer. I hope that this made his weekend a tad more tolerable as it was super cold for a race weekend.

Sunday:
One of the reasons I love karting so much is the sportsmanship involved in the sport. Although we all want to win and be competitive, we want to see our fellow racers be competitive as well. What is the fun in winning if there is no challenge? From lending tools to speed secrets, everyone really helps each other out. There was a karter who posted on our facebook group that he was in need of a tire mounting ring for the race and asked if there was any he could borrow and of course several people stepped up to offer help. Then as we were packing up to leave, my dad was struggling to push a kart stand holding two karts up the ramp and into the trailer. A fellow racer came sprinting over from across the pits to assist him. There are numerous examples of kindness displayed at the track every weekend. It always makes me smile.

 

Who did you make smile today?

FINALLY!!

I'm so sorry for missing another blog yesterday but my computer wouldn't let me get on BlogSpot!! Ok, so here is another two posts on one blog:

Thursday:
Yesterday at work I learned that a grandmother of a 4th grade student makes lunch for the entire school faculty every Thursday!! As someone who hates to cook even for herself, I find this amazing! The teachers at the school seemed to greatly appreciate the effort.

Friday:
A woman in my weight watchers meeting was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer 8 months ago. This week she learned she was officially in remission. Our weight watchers leader brought in a celebratory balloon for her today. I also saw that there were gifts left on the chairs of the woman's close friends. I soon found out that she had sewed each of them a gift for all of their support. Wow!! Every moment she felt well enough to do something, she worked on sewing the gifts. I think it is so incredible for someone who is enduring so much to still think of others. It made me smile this morning to witness such love, support, and kindness.

This afternoon I took my mom out to lunch. Hopefully this brightened her day a bit.

Tonight I went to a Riley Dance Marathon. It was great to see high school students have compassion for the needs of children they have never met. The mom of the girl I care for also spoke at the event. The students were very attentive and respectful during the speech. They were all so good with the little girl as well. Everyone seemed to be having a great time all while raising money for a great cause.

Who did you makes smile today?

Do what you love

Today is another two post blog. Yesterdays post was postponed because I wanted to make sure I had permission from my patients mother before posting so much information about her daughter. I'm glad I waited because it ties in  perfectly with todays blog: Do what you love. When you love your work, it's easy to be uplifted and to lift others up in return.

Tuesday
In my opinion, I have the best job in the world. 3 years ago I had the pleasure of caring for a sweet baby in the ICU and it changed my life forever. After caring for her for 2 out of the 4 months she was in the hospital, she was able to go home for the first time since birth. I knew that this baby girl could not leave my life forever and I decided to be her home care nurse. It was the best decision I have ever made.

At 3 years old, she is still the sweetest little girl I have ever met. She makes me smile every day and I love that I look forward to going into work each morning. I could write a blog about her everyday because she brings so much joy to those around her. I am so blessed and honored to be a part of her family. Her parents have graciously welcomed me into their home and into their daughter's life. I have been able to watch her milestones and accomplishments right along side them. I know it is difficult for some parents to watch their child bond with another adult but her parents have been so supportive of our relationship. I love this girl as if she were my own but I am always cognizant to not overstep my boundaries. I am forever grateful that they have accepted me into their family.

As I stated in a previous blog, she recently started school. I love that I get to be a part of this journey with her. Her sweet nature and kind heart has never been more evident than when she is surrounded by her peers. Because of her medical needs, she does a lot of things differently from her friends. For example, she does not eat by mouth so when if comes to snack time, she will sit with her friends but only pretends to eat. Today at snack time she was pretend eating some plastic cookies while her friends were eating fruit snacks and chips. She wanted to make sure they all had a plastic cookie as well so she gave every kid one of her cookies.  It amazes me that even though she is restricted from eating , she still wants to ensure that everyone is included in her "meal".

This precious girl is the perfect example of how we should all treat one another.... with love, forgiveness, joy, and hope.

Wednesday
Today is Administrative assistants day. As the church secretary, my mom received a card and gift card from the Pastor and a couple of coworkers treated her to lunch.

A friend of mine also got a nice message from one of her clients today

 

Too often we don't let the people we admire know what a difference they are making. Please take the time to tell them!

Who did you make smile today?

A Voicemail

My sister spent the day in airports trying to get home from the west coast. I left her a goofy voicemail to give her a little smile between her flights today.

My sister sent a gift to a friend of hers who recently had a baby. I think it's safe to say that it made her  friend smile when she opened it:

Who did you make smile today?

Beautiful Saturday! and Race day

My computer died yesterday before I could publish my blog so today there will be two blogs (yesterday and today)


Saturday
Hi all! I hope you all enjoyed this wonderful weather today! I spent the day testing at the track. I met the mom of a boy who races kid karts and I learned that she is a nurse too. She just changed jobs and is extremely unhappy at her current place of employment. As we continued to talk it seemed like home health care may be something she would really enjoy. We swapped numbers and info and I plan to contact my work this week to let them know she is interested. I hope this uplifted her weekend a little bit to know that she may have another option. Hopefully, it will all work out for her because no one should have to dread going to their job each day.

Sunday
Today the kart races were postponed so I was excited that I could watch the Indycar race at Long Beach live..... Until I found out it was being aired on a cable channel (I don't have cable) My (non-racing fan) best friends allowed me to steal their TV for a few hours this evening so I could watch it which definitely made my day. I also brought them some pizza to thank them for their generosity.

Who did you make smile today?

Sometimes we just need a little dog TLC

It's amazing how dogs can give us such unconditional love. Sometimes all we need is that loving look from our furry friends to uplift our day.

Yesterday my mom received a few surprise visitors at work. One of her close friends is a comfort dog handler for Atonement Lutheran Church in Columbus, Ohio. She and her husband happened to be volunteering with Rosie the Comfort Dog here in Indiana. They asked my mom if it would be ok to stop by our current church (where my mom works as the secretary) and she was so happy that they visited. She was able to see some dear friends and show them her new life in Indiana as well as bring joy to others at the church who were excited to visit with Rosie the Comfort Dog. Thank you Rosie!!

 

My sister also received a dog smile yesterday. I know she loves her job but I also know she misses my dogs when she is on the road so I sent her a picture of her "Best Furiend". She said it brought a big smile to her face.

 

"You mean, Aunt Julie went on a trip without me again?!"

 

My sister is also suffering some jet lag as she is currently on the west coast. So when she was awake at 5 am this morning, we had a puppy Skype session to start her day off right!

 

 

My dogs always lift my spirits. Gorgeous spring days make my heart happy too. So you can imagine the smile on my face today when I took Axle for a run on a beautiful spring morning.

 

 

Who did you make smile today?







Kindness at work

When I arrived at work this morning, the father of the girl I care for was already up at 630am making breakfast for his wife so she could eat before heading to work. I'm sure that made her smile this morning!

My sister went completely out of her way this morning to bring me my phone I had left at home. It is vital that I have a way to call in case there is a medical emergency for the little girl. Both parents work so my cell phone is the only form of immediate communication to the outside world. In bringing my phone, she forgot her own phone at home! So she was pretty late to work. Thanks so much Julie! We really appreciated it!

The heart of a child

Last night I went to dinner with a couple of friends. We had a great time catching up on each others lives and lost track of time, staying later than we intended. We argued over the check and went on our merry way. When I was getting ready for work this morning, I realized I had forgotten to tip the gentleman that was waiting on us!! I felt terrible! I'm sure he was cursing us as we stood outside the restaurant still chatting away. It's easy to say "oh well, it's just a few dollars" and forget about it but I couldn't do that. Waiters live off their tips and for all I knew this guy could be scraping by to make ends meet. So after work I made sure to stop by the restaurant and personally hand the man his tip and an apology. He seemed very appreciative that I had made the effort to return.

Witnessed random acts of kindness:

Sometimes I think the world would be a better place if we all had the heart of a child. They have the ability to take care of one another without bias or judgment. Today I witnessed acceptance, eagerness to comfort a friend in need,  and gratitude displayed in a 3 and 4 year old. It was the most genuine acts of kindness I have ever seen. I have the pleasure of caring for a 3 year with medical needs for my job. She is the sweetest, loving girl I have ever met. She has recently started going to school and it's  been an adjustment for her and her classmates as she does a lot of things differently than most of her peers {such as eating, breathing and talking} Despite their inability to communicate in the same manner, a classmate has taken this little girl under her wing; making sure she is included in activities like a game of ring around the rosey. When that same classmate was having a difficult time getting her coat on, the girl I care for went over to help her. In return she received a big hug from her new friend. I wish we could all love like these two girls do and I hope that life does not harden their hearts as they grow older.

Who did you make smile today?

More birthday smiles

A lot of people made me smile again today!! I'm still receiving happy birthday messages and it's not even my birthday anymore! I arrived at work to find two birthday cards from the girl I care for and her mom made me my favorite éclair cake!! That family is too good to me.

 

I also had ANOTHER birthday dinner with some friends from church. :)

 

 

Random acts of kindness:

 

-I paid for my sisters meal (it was more like a snack) at dinner tonight

-A coworker brought in cupcakes for my sisters birthday

-A friend of mine reached out to friends because she was in need of prayers and was blown away by the support she received

 

Who did you make smile today?

Birthday smiles

I'm not sure if I made anyone smile this weekend because I was taken back by all those making me smile!

Although my birthday is today, yesterday we celebrated with family. My sister and brother in law traveled 2.5 hours just to eat dinner and open gifts then traveled 2.5 hrs back home. That was so nice of them and I loved having them here!

Today I had sooooo many people wish me Happy Birthday. It sure makes someone feel loved to have so many people wishing you well. I had a race today so when I woke up at 530 am I found a card taped to the mirror. It was from my twin sister and it was wishing me luck for the races. When I got to the track my kart and helmet had a lot of new decals added to it in honor of my birthday. They also had birthday cupcakes for us.  Several people also wished me well in my races in addition to their happy birthday messages.

 

Who did you make smile today?

Happy Birthday Eve Eve

My twin and I have our 29th birthday on Sunday. Her work is pretty good about celebrating each others birthdays by decorating their offices and celebrating. With our birthday over the weekend, I wanted to make sure she still had an office celebration. Also, she's been craving Boston Crème pie. I decided to bring in a Boston Crème cake and a birthday balloon to her work. I think I brought a smile to the faces of everyone in the office because the cake was a huge hit!

Who did you make smile today?

A little wine does a body good

Today's random act of kindness:

Last evening I learned that a friend of mine was having a rough day. Of course I texted her and at the end of our conversation I told her to relax with a good book and some wine. She informed me that she was out of wine. So when I went to her house today, I made sure I had some wine to give her. I also told her that all her hard work does not go unnoticed and how she has handled every bump in her life amazingly well. Then I realized that I have failed her as a friend. I see this friend most days of the week. Why have I not told her that I'm impressed with her ability to balance all the tasks life requires of her? I think we all do this. It's not until someone breaks that we take the time to tell them how much we love and appreciate them. Let's try to prevent people from feeling so unappreciated. We are quick to correct people when they are wrong or doing something we disagree with... why don't we be just as quick to point out things we see people doing correctly. Please let the people you care about know how much you appreciate them :)

Witnessed random act of kindness:
When my sister was at her piloxing class she grabbed a mat for herself as well as one for the instructor. The instructor didn't see who had done it but she was very grateful.

A smile for me:
There has been a lot on my mind lately as I have some concerns to think about right now. Someone left this comment for me on my facebook:

Reminds me of 2 Cor 1:3 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

I appreciate what you do Tracy!

 

This is exactly what I needed to hear right now. Never be hesitant to reach out to someone because it may be just what they need at that very moment.

 

Who did you make smile today?

Note of kindness

Today's act of kindness:

I slipped a note in someone's bag at the gym to remind them that they are awesome. My sis also helped me out again by letting the dogs out and feeding them tonight.  It's a short post tonight but hopefully I made that person smile :)

Who did you make smile today?

Sometimes you fall

I'm sorry I didn't blog yesterday! Sometimes you will fall and yesterday I fell. I was in a funk and as much as I tried, I could not get in a positive mindset. I did call my older sister to see how her Easter was so I hope it made her feel good to know I  was thinking about her even though we couldn't spend the holiday together. My other sister (the one that lives with me) did make my day a little better yesterday. I had gotten home from work and she had already taken the dogs out for me and fed them. When I went to the refrigerator, I found this surprise:

CHEESECAKE!! My favorite! She also made me dinner!! Thanks sis!!

Today's random act of kindness:
The girl I care for experienced her first school bus ride today. I made sure to take pictures and send them to her mom since she was working. I know that I always enjoy it when my sister texts me pics of my dogs while I'm working, so I hope the pictures I sent brought a smile to that moms face.

Who did you make smile today?

He is risen!!

Happy Easter everyone!! He is risen!!

Obviously, there was a lot to smile about today!! I gave my sister a couple of Easter goodies this morning and I also received some treats from her :) I loved it!

 

I saw a lot of smiles at church and on facebook as families were enjoying the day together. I texted a few friends to wish them a Happy Easter so they knew I was thinking about them and wishing them well. Of course, spending the day with my family brought a smile to my face. I hope you all had an amazing Easter full of fun and lots of smiles!

 

Who did you make smile today?

Always Smile

Today's random act of kindness

• While waiting to get my nails done, I saw a magazine with Kelly Clarkson on the cover. UH, I'm only OBSESSED WITH HER so I picked it up. The article was, once again, regarding the criticism over her weight gain. Kelly explained that she will never live up to everyone's expectations and encouraged girls to love their bodies no matter the size. I left this message in the magazine to bookmark the article for others:

• My sister paid a surprise visit to my mom and grandmother to bring them Easter candy
• An elderly gentlemen held the door open for my family while leaving a restaurant
• The family of the girl I care for made me some Easter treats. YUM

Who did you make smile today?

Have a great Easter!!



Some more Easter cheer

My mom has just completed her third week of a new job as our church secretary. It has been a big change for her since she was at her previous job for 19 years and had to up and move to another state in just two weeks. So, tonight I slipped a kind note in her purse encouraging her to keep up the great work. My sister also went to help her get the bulletins ready for the many Easter services this weekend.

My best friends put a smile on my face today when they paid me an unexpected visit and gave me an Easter gift. I love me some chocolate! YUM!

Autism awareness and Easter cheer

Today's random acts of kindness:

• April 2nd is Autism awareness day. A very good friend from high school has two boys with autism. I think of them frequently but I don't think I've ever told her that. People were asked to wear blue today in support of autism awareness. To show my friend that she still means a lot to me even though we are a state away from one another, I chose blue from my wardrobe this morning.

•  My sister also shared with me how a coworkers act of kindness brought a smile to her face today

 

 

Who did you make smile today?

Wednesday smiles

Today's acts of kindness were small but that's all it takes!

• A friends grandfather was having a serious surgery today so we had her 3 year old daughter send a video message to him. Unfortunately, he was taken back to  preop before he had a chance to watch it but hopefully it will make him smile as he recovers
• While that same friend was out of town to be with family during the procedure, I had her daughter make her a painting for when she returned home
  
• I also texted a friend who has been having a rough week to see how his day was going.

My heart is smiling this evening. I went on a run with my sister and two of my three dogs. I was so happy because a year ago, running Axle was such a chore. He was mistreated prior to coming into my care so his anxiety caused him attack everything that moved. Bikes, skateboards, motorcycles, etc. would send him over the edge. Now when I run with him he is relaxed and barely gives a glance to stimuli that used to get him upset. We crossed paths with two bicycles during our run and he didn't even look at them. We also came across two dogs that were trying to go after him and, while Axle appeared curious, he was easily redirected with the "leave it" command. It brings me so much joy to know that after a year of dedication and hard work, I finally have a peaceful pack. Besides, how can this face NOT make you smile?

 

 

 

 

Who did you make smile today?