Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Pay It Forward...and a mouse house


If you live here in Oregon, then you probably received your tax "kicker" check in the last couple of weeks. Whew! What a nice surprise, especially with Christmas just around the corner. But I was completely inspired by a newspaper editorial that I read recently. It suggested the idea of using one's "kicker" check to "pay it forward". Now in years past, we have made sure to buy Christmas presents here and there for those less fortunate. Usually we grab a name or 2 from the "Angel Tree" at church, which is a ministry that provides gifts to children of incarcerated parents. But this year both Dave and I felt like we could/should do more, something on a grander scale. While I wish we had the means to do something so grand like feed every starving child who will wake up hungry on Christmas morning, we at least have the means to make the holiday more merry for one family, a whole family. So with the help of the counselor who works at my school, we identified a family with 4 kids that is currently in crisis with little to celebrate. My heart sank when I looked at the kids' wish lists to see that shoes and pants (obviously things they all NEED) were listed above any toys. So while it's still small in relation to the needs of this world, I find comfort and great joy knowing that for THOSE 4 kids, Christmas morning will be a little more grand, with 4 new pairs of shoes and 4 new pairs of pants.

As far as other activities from this past weekend, Dave and Grayson kept themselves busy with a little project. A mouse house. Yes, a mouse house. Apparently the little blue stuffed thing (which truthfully I can't even tell is a mouse) that only comes out of the toy basket once in a blue moon needed its own living quarters. And unfortunately the empty Diet Coke box turned spacious residence (for a mouse anyway) did not fit the bill. Oh no. It HAD to be wood. In fact, Grayson would have preferred brick, but we do know how to play the 'we're the parents, you're the child, we get to decide" card when we need to. So with that decided, the boys got to work. After much cutting and hammering, the project was complete. And oh, I'm sure that Mouse is so pleased. But don't feel bad if you can't really make out the beloved rodent in the picture. He's really that small. But I suppose even the smallest of mice appreciate a good home and some fine cheese (compliments of the pretend food set that goes with the play kitchen). Enjoy little mouse, enjoy.




2 comments:

Sarri said...

Too cute! He IS such a project boy, I'm telling you! I love the mouse house- it reminds me of A Big Hungry Bear and the Red Ripe Strawberry, or whatever. So sweet!

Sarri said...

PS The icecream was delish. Thanks again. You guys are the best!