What makes a birthday great? So many things... just wanted to share my adventure with you!
NIGHT BEFORE:
After moving into an apartment on Saturday, attending a wedding, and a family reunion... who wouldn't want to have a big dinner party on Tuesday (just 3 days later?) :)
I had my "bike club" over for dinner.
AND... in remembrance of the Philippines, made the famous Mango Float dessert... yum!
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Birthday morning! This is where the real fun began. In honor of my birthday, and all I've been given... I decided for this year to follow The BDAY Project! I read about it over 6 months ago... and have been so excited. Basically it is sharing 1 random act of kindness for each year of life I've been given. I knew it would be hard to do, being a work day and all, but I was going to step up to the challenge.
Before I started the journey, a good breakfast was in order... and why not eat it from the best view in the city? My amazing new apartment rooftop! :) If you need my new address email me!
Check out the main website www.thebdayproject.com for where the idea came from. The original blog is awesome!
HERE ARE MY RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS COMPLETED... IN ORDER!
1. Slightly planned, slightly spontaneous. Decided to write an anonymous note to my mail person! They don't get thanked enough for what they do!
2. Decided to cash in my free drink birthday coupon at Starbucks! And decided, with someone behind me, to buy their drink! Chai latte for them, check!
3. I had bought a scone too at Starbucks, originally to suck up some of my caffeine, but in honor of the day, I walked up to a guy on a ladder at work, changing a large light bulb. I asked if he liked blueberries, and handed over the goods to a very surprised worker. This is so much fun!
4. I had ordered a book "Ruined for the Ordinary" and decided to send it to a co-worker first, before I went through it. She was so excited to get it!
5. Based on a past example I read on www.thebdayproject.com I decided to leave some quarters with a note on vending machines! I didn't know how much... so went with the dollar (in the middle of the cost of the items in the machines). Hope people enjoyed them!
6. Trying to come up with ideas for the day, I decided to do something special for the family that brings me fresh vegetables each week with my CSA. I had to pick up my share in the afternoon, so made a cool "Name Card" with their new baby's name, meaning, and a blessing! Wish I could have seen their faces! The name? EDEN
7. I want to do this one more often... I stopped my administrative assistant in her tracks... before she could do one of the most annoying jobs in the office; filling the printer with stacks of white paper! It still makes me smile thinking of her appreciative, shocked face.
8. Decided it was time to write another encouraging note... who this time? Only the Kohler bus drivers! (We have an airport bus on campus to drive us to the different buildings... Bob is one of my favorites, but they are all great! And I'm going to be especially thankful when the winter comes!)
LUNCH TIME... day starting off well!
9. I spent the lunch hour with my past roommate of 2 months at the Sheboygan Farmer's Market... trying to be spontaneous is hard when there are so many yummy veggies and goodies around! But started the hour off well paying for a person's parking meter as they started to pull out change!
10. This one, I pre-planned. I sneakily brought stickers in my purse, hoping to be able to share them with some kids. The Farmer's Market was the perfect place! Lots of smiles and things to keep kids occupied as their parents looked. I met one woman holding a sign with Scripture who preferred that I not give stickers to her kids (because they wouldn't know who Mickey/Minnie were) and I was happy to respect that. All my stickers were gone in about 10 minutes!
11. As I finished in the market, I was so excited to find a small flower bouquet with amazing purple and orange flowers! The irises were spectacular! I thought, "what a great birthday gift for myself." As I walked toward the finishing corner, the same woman I had asked about stickers early was there. I knew what I had to do! Just as I started to stretch out my arm, she commented how beautiful my flowers were. I LOVE THIS PART! I said... they are for you! Such joyous shock! Way better than keeping them myself.
BACK AT WORK... Afternoon was quite busy and it was hard to find new opportunities for random acts of kindness... the morning went so smooth!
12. Wrote a special letter to Nohemi (a young woman in Honduras who I sponsor with Compassion). Fun writing her an extra note and sending it!
WORK IS COMPLETE... I'm finding myself still excited for this Birthday Project but also exhausted and overwhelmed with the idea of doing 32 random acts before the end of the day. Prayed about it and decided to do half, because if I tried to do them all my heart reasons would not be right anymore... and I'd just be trying to do it to "win a prize"... so 16 here we go!
13. Had to make a quick stop at the store for some cake making supplies for a co-worker. Decided as I went through the check out, to buy an additional gift card... and to give it to the person in line behind me! Her face was priceless! She asked me why, and I told her it was my birthday and I was doing a random act of kindness for each year I'd been blessed with. She was so appreciative! Oh I wish I could do this all day long! :)
14. I had invited a sweet friend, Maria, over to help me for a couple of hours to complete my random acts. Decided to watch the sunset on the roof together and have her help me with a cake for a Jim's birthday at work the next day. To surprise Maria, who can't do ice cream, I made a special treat of frozen bananas in the food processor and peanut butter (PINTEREST RECIPE TASTES JUST LIKE ICE CREAM FOR THOSE INTERESTED!)
ALMOST TO 16!
15. So if you didn't know, I like to cook... and strange, new things are my favorite! A friend at work had a birthday and I decided to help with a snack. He wanted vegetables and red velvet cake... but I couldn't do just a normal cake! So here it is... Toasted Coconut/Red Velvet with Cream Trifle! Yeah for acts of kindness! :)
16. With the night quickly coming to a close, I had one last random act to complete... being in my pajamas, I decided not to leave my apartment. But rather, decided to write a note to a fabulous family member of mine that I wanted to encourage! SO GREAT!!! Goodnight all, what a great birthday it has been!
NEXT DAY
I had to share a photo of Jim and his trifle (and veggie tray... healthy). I think my office is amazed at what appears to be talent. I appreciate them so much!
I have to say The Birthday Project was a bigger challenge than expected, but I had so much fun! It added so much depth to my birthday! I hope you guys enjoyed living it again with me, and consider it for your special day! :) www.thebdayproject.com
