Life with the Roaches: 30 for 30!

Wow, it's hard to believe that I've already been 30 for close to a month. I remember my dad saying before that he felt the same as he did when he was 19. At the time, I thought he was crazy, but now I totally get it! So far, I'm loving the 30's!

This year for my birthday I did something a little different. A little while back I saw this idea on Pinterest. Her post was so popular she ended up starting The Birthday Project. As soon as I read it, I just knew I had to do it, and what better birthday to start it on than the big 3-0. This was one of those ideas that is just so wonderful you think to yourself, "How in the world have I never thought of this before?" Ever since, I have anxiously been awaiting my 30th birthday, something I think not many people can say!

Initially, I wanted to do all 30 acts of kindness in one day. As I began planning though, I realized that completing everything I wanted in one day, with two young children in tow, was just not realistic. I would probably end up completely frazzled and stressed, in addition to having two cranky, overtired kids. I decided to give myself a little grace and allow an entire "birthday week" to accomplish my goals.

This was by far the best thing I have ever done for my birthday! I hope to make it an annual tradition, and can't wait to pass this tradition on to Rylan and Presley. There is nothing like taking a day that is supposed to be all about "me", and turning it around to do something for someone else. I have always felt that God has given me the gift of service, and what better way to show His love to others than simple acts of kindness. This was also not a solo effort! I had wonderful friends and family helping and supporting me along the way. And a huge thank you to my wonderful husband, who never even questioned what I was doing (or spending =))! I'm counting down the days until I turn 31!

So here are my 30 acts of kindness for 30 years...

1. Paid for the person behind me in the Starbucks' drive thru
2. Left a thank you note for the pool guy
3. Packed almost 70 sack lunches for the homeless with my small group
4. Passed out the lunches downtown
5. Donated clothes, sheets, and canned goods to Homeward Bound, a transitional housing program
6. Donated cleaning and pet items to Halo Animal Rescue
7. Paid for the person behind me in the Dunkin Donuts drive thru
8. Brought books to the pediatric unit at Banner Thunderbird Hospital (and most of the books were from the Kohl's Cares program, so 2 for 1!)
9. Donated toys for the playroom and toy closet program
10. Stuffed plastic Easter eggs and donated baskets and stuffed animals for the children in pediatrics
11. Wrote a thank you note for the Child Life Specialist and Assistant at Banner Thunderbird (who was completely awesome by the way!)
12. Brought coloring books and crayons to the pediatric ER
13. Made no sew fleece blankets for the NICU at Banner Thunderbird
14. Left notes and gift cards for parents of babies in the NICU (thank you to my parents for supplying the gift cards and my sister and brother-in-law for their help with this!)
15. Left donuts in the labor and delivery waiting room along with a card for new parents
16. Brought donuts and a thank you card to the nurses in labor and delivery
17. Taped dollars to the vending machines in the hospital waiting room
18. Brought in shopping carts from the Walgreens parking lot
19. Donated paper to local schools (technically this was done the week before through an event at our church, but I actually had it on my list before I even knew about that, so I decided to count it =))
20. Helped my small group provide breakfast for the teachers at a local school
21. "Egged" a friend's house
22. Picked up trash on a walk
23. Hid Easter eggs at the park
24. Brought cookies to the group home down the street
25. Left Ron's favorite candy and a note in his computer bag
26. Sent a care package to a friend's brother serving in the military
27. Wrote a letter to Abel, the child our small group sponsors through Compassion International
28. Left a large tip for the dinner we picked up at a diner in Sedona
29. Donated money for the troops through a program at the restaurant
30. Wrote a thank you letter to the owner of the house we stayed at in Sedona

Writing a thank you note to the pool guy

Making cookies for the pool guy (who actually never got them because they were still in the oven when he arrived!), the group home, and the military care package

All the goodies ready to be delivered!

Rylan with Miss Amanda and Miss Krystal after passing out lunches. It was crazy...we probably fed close to 100 people in less than 15 minutes! I couldn't believe how fast the line formed. Next time we will definitely bring more! A huge thank you to Amanda and Krystal for coming with us, and to our entire neighborhood group for helping to pack the lunches and provide the supplies!

Blankets ready to go for the NICU

Loaded down with goodies for the hospital! This is how we walked in...the double stroller full of bags, with a toddler walking next to it, while wearing a baby. The Child Life Specialist showed us all around the pediatric unit and other areas of the hospital. Did I mention she was awesome?!