Blog it Forward

Sometimes great friends come to you in the most unorthodox ways. Rebecca from Mommy, Ever After, is just that friend.

We met through a mutual friend and were introduced on Facebook just a few weeks ago. I have been chomping at the bit to collaborate with her, but with the holidays and travel, we just haven’t had the chance… until just an hour ago, I saw her post regarding “Blog it Forward”.

Like Rebecca, I’ve said for years that I want to give back, but I truly didn’t have the means. This year was different. Addie and I started collecting food and winter clothes to hand out as we saw need- she recognized hungry people are just as deserving as she is for food, clothing and shelter. Passing that onto her meant the world to me, and watching her develop her own ways of giving back and desire to donate clothes that stopped fitting and her own change at church filled me with pride.

When we went into Philly for our last Christmas at my childhood home, it was beautiful:

But, as we walked from our car to Macy’s for the light show, we passed a lot of need. My heart was breaking.

As Dave and my mom took Addie to get coffees before we headed back home, I ran to the car with Millie nestled gently in the carrier and grabbed all the food we had in the car. Retracing our steps I handed out 2 boxes of granola bars and a bag of snacks to 7 people. I shook hands, dug in my pockets for change when I was out of food, and held the hand of a young man, no more than 30, who was in a stupor on the sidewalk, “something to eat when you’re ready,” was all I could muster as I gave him a last squeeze and he opened his eyes just a slit. He smiled. Or attempted to. Had I not had a baby on the front of me, I would have hugged him.

Life hands us all different paths, and it is our duty to fork off and decide how we continue our walk.

Someone once said to me, as I lamented about how much more other people have, “The rich don’t stay rich by giving money away.”

I decided at that moment, what they’d said made a heck of a lot of sense.
I also decided I never wanted to be rich.
In my head, I thought that line of thinking was hideous, and when we had the means to buy more than what we needed, before we even drop a dime into savings, we would buy for someone else. And we have and we still have no savings- which makes me cringe- but I have had a lifetime of smiles, genuine you made my day smiles, that never would have cracked the faces of those who have never dreamt of being rich… but a warm, stable home.

I can’t give a home, but I can give a smile. I can give a few dollars. I can give food, a jacket I’ve only worn a few times, shoes. I can give back. And you can, too!

This post was prompted by Rebecca who is a new member of the Wayfair Homemakers program (HOW COOL IS THAT?!), and I wanted to pass on their message- I know that giving back makes me feel amazing, so I want to pass on that gift:

Now as I was blessed with this task of giving back, and doing more for those around me who are both in need and in need of an uplifting is a resolution of mine in 2016, I am passing the baton off to two bloggers who, like me, have no idea I am doing this.

Crystal Turnau of Ewok Mama and I met in Atlanta this summer and instantly clicked. After dinner with two crazy kids, we knew a glass of wine and some more laughter were in store. Just 2 days together, and I know I have a friend for life…

and Carrie Wells of Huppie Mama. This lovely red head shared wine with me on a rooftop in NYC (yes, ladies + wine are the way to my heart), while we bonded over childbirth, cloth diapers, breastfeeding, marriage, love, moving… and our careers. She’s inspired me to branch out and grow my brand, be a better wife and mother, and do better. Be better.

The badge to #blogitforward is in my sidebar, and I hope to see many of my blogger family add it, too! As we end this year, looking forward to the next just warms my soul! I cannot wait to see what these amazing ladies do… and I can’t wait to see what Rebecca and I come up with for you in 2016!