Tuesday Coffee Chat

Random Acts of Kindness. We are doing them again this year! How do you spread Christmas cheer?

I almost skipped this one today because, well, I don't really have an answer. But then I realized that I do have an answer.

This time of year we do the basics in giving Christmas gifts to a child in need, donating food, keeping the Pay It Forward going at a restaurant, giving generous tips, etc.

But I don't have the list of things we are going to do as a family to bless others.

Honestly? this year I just feel a need to take extra good care of my own people.

It has been a big and exhausting year for us. There have been a lot of great things that have happened, like Kyndal and Collin getting married, Dawson graduating from high school and starting college, Rick making arrangements with his job to be here with us half of the month instead of just on the weekends. The little kids have had a great year with school and activities and friends. We have all been healthy. It's been good, but very busy.

But there have been some real lows, too, with Kyndal experiencing a miscarriage, Dawson going through a major breakup, and Rick dealing with the jabs and pokes of a certain someone in his life.  We have dealt with people have been harsh and mean and cruel. These last couple of months we have just kind of been hanging on for dear life. And that's exhausting!

Things are looking up as we head into Christmas. And, although, I know that there are so many with needs out there, my family needs me, too. They need all of me and all I have to give. They need my patience and grace and understanding. I want them to feel the totality of my kindness this year. Because, let's be honest, sometimes when we give ourselves to others we forget to be kind to the ones nearest to us. And one lesson we have all learned in this family this year is that this family is the most important thing to us.

So this year I am doing those little things for my family like baking a surprise batch of cookies, letting the kids stay up a little bit late to play video games together and then letting them sleep in a little later to make up for it, watching movies I don't really want to watch but the family wants to, letting college kids stay over extra late and be a little louder than I prefer so that new friendships can be made, purchasing those little extra things here and there to make someone feel special, fixing some extra meals, and just being present.

I applaud those who have their list of things they do for others and then actually do them. Thank you for your kindness! I'll be home, though, hugging on my family and doing all I can to keep them healthy, protected, and loved.