A Very Random and Kind (of Awesome) Birthday

How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it! –George Elliston
It was a beautiful day indeed! The sun shone brightly in a blue sky all day long for the first time in a long time.  And it was sunny in my heart too  The day I had been dreading so much ended up being perfectly delightful.

Here I shall chronicle some of the random acts that I did and that I was told of. I also included the acts of kindness me and my family were recipients of that day (and for the last couple of them) because they meant a lot to me.
“Don't wish...DO! Don't try...BE! Don't think...KNOW! And above all: Bless a stranger with a small, yet powerful, random act of kindness. You feel me?”
― T.F. Hodge
A couple of people kicked off the kindness the night before:
<3Gracie ran out into the freezing cold with wet hair, to put away the neighbour’s trash can

<3 Carolyn brought over a delicious dinner because we were all so tired after caring for sick Ella all week. Is there anything more nurturing than a meal made with love when you are feeling stressed and strung out?

<3My first Random Act of Kindness was to get up early to paint hearts on Gracie’s nails which was her most fervent desire. Getting up early is my most despised life action and so I felt like I was off to a very kind start.

<3I gave my kids some of my birthday chocolates to put into their lunch boxes
.
<3When I came downstairs I saw a big brown box sitting in the middle of the living room, when I opened it I found a box of sunshine courtesy of Jill.  It perfectly set the tone for my sunshiny day!

<3 Carol took the time out of her busy workweek to make me an incredible,  very elaborate birthday cake (I had been moaning to my sister just earlier that day that poor Aaron always trudged into the kitchen at the end of the day with an Aldi’s no name brand cake mix and whipped me up some cupcakes and just WOULD NOT buy a cake at the bakery. And then he showed up with this.)

<3The Bowling Green young women and their leaders surprised me with an EPIC and very stealthy heart attack and a serenade as well as some beautiful heart shaped cookies which were devoured before I was able to photograph them.  It was so much fun!

<3Jannelle delivered a freshly baked and  delicious birthday "breakfast" (as well as door to door pick up service for my girlie and her cello so Ella and I could stay warm inside)

<3 Amanda surprised Gracie and two other little friends with flowers and a sweet card delivered to their school!  Can you imagine their excitement?

<3 For his ROAK Finny chose to give his Pokemon cards to a “kid at school who really, really loves them”

<3Melinda bought doughnuts for the auto repair man who inspected her car
<3 I did not laugh at Ella's most epic tantrum to date. (Even though it was really funny)
<3 I visited the Instagram page of a not so nice commenter on mine (whose profile says that he is "obsessed with his dog and his hatred for everyone" and told him that I thought his dog was awesome and the pic he took of the sky was amazing. (Both true)
“Be kind to people whether they deserve your kindness or not. If your kindness reaches the deserving good for you if your kindness reaches the undeserving take joy in your compassion.”
― James Fadiman
<3 I paid for the person behind me at drive through. Not sure if it went well, she was elderly and looked aghast, I left with her still waving her $ insistently toward the cashier.

<3 I paid for the detergent and dryer sheets of the very pregnant very overwhelmed looking young lady behind me at Biglots.  She was so thrilled. It felt great.:)
Here’s the only picture I have from that shopping trip: Ella’s random act of kindness was to deign to eat a very nutritious chicken nugget after a long hunger strike (she also made a miraculous recovery in time for my bday after being very sick for a week) and did not lose her marbles (literally or figuratively as I stalked people until they were ready to check out). Please don’t tell me that marbles are choking hazards. I have 5 kids. I know marbles are choking hazards.
<3 I did some shoveling for some neighbours (can you see the nice clear walks in my sunglasses? )

<3 Thalia and Shaun bought a big KFC meal for the guards at their complex
“When we treat people merely as they are, they will remain as they are. When we treat them as if they were what they should be, they will become what they should be. ”
― Thomas S. Monson,
<3Tiffany notarized something for free
<3John and Susun recorded a really funny and cute video to cheer up lots of people (especially Ella)
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”
― Aesop
<3Gina gave money to a car guard who did not guard her car.
<3 Tiffany dropped off a fun birthday package just when I thought it was all over.
<3Deborah volunteered to drive her daughter’s teammates to practice
“Our kindness may be the most persuasive argument for that which we believe.”
― Gordon B. Hinckley
<3 Since I was trapped home with a sleeping baby, Amanda offered to be my personal delivery service.  She purchased and delivered treats to two of my friends at their workplace
<3Michelle B. left R5 coins in all the change section of the parking pay machines at the mall.
<3She also  paid for a young couples milkshakes at the spur
<3 and helped 4 little kids each make a scrap book of their dad who died 5 months ago.
There is nothing so rewarding as to make people realize that they are worthwhile in this world.”
― Bob Anderson
Trena and kids were busy with 13 wonderful RAOK! Here are a few photos of some with her descriptions:
<3 “We left some quarters for some lucky little people”


<3Stuck some microwave popcorn on a redbox for a few lucky movie watchers!

<3We hid some microwave popcorn in the mail room at church

<3 We left some compliments for others to share as well as gave out some special compliments! :)


“The shortest distance between two people is a smile.”
― Victor Borge


<3Left some quarters for the snack machine and the soda machine at church during Wednesday Night Live for some lucky person to find!! Surprise!



<3We picked up Taco Bell for dinner on our way back home, and asked to pay for the car behind us for Kirsty’s birthday gift we told the cashier it was her birthday wish and handed her a RAOK card to give them. :-)



<3We made soup to take to the teacher's lounge at our school tomorrow

<3We hung bags of microwave popcorn on the RedBOX machine for some lucky movie watcher <3We bought some special supplies and treats for a wonderful family that is having the flu go through their family, and delivered it to them.
“Protect your enthusiasm from the negativity and fear of others. Never decide to do nothing just because you can only do little. Do what you can. You would be surprised at what "little" acts have done for our world.”
― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

<3Lucky #13: I volunteered for a special project at school today
She ended the day with this facebook update:
<3 “ In honor of Kirsty Randall Sayer s birthday the last RAOK before bedtime I would like to ask if anyone on my friends list would like to borrow from our "dvd lending library" Season 1, Season 2, OR SPOILER ALERT SEASON 3 of DOWNTON ABBEY!! Message me!! First come first serve!! ♥ Happy BIRTHDAY KIRSTY!! I figure that this is the GREATEST Birthday Gift to give you!! The sharing of Downton Abbey ♥
“The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the greatest intention.”
― Kahlil Gibran, The Essential Kahlil Gibran
<3Dawn paid for the person behind her at Pinkberry
<3 Joel suddenly found himself too lazy to shoot anything (although certainly it was not in honour of me,  just a coincidence)
“The greatest thrill is not to kill but to let live.”
― James Oliver Curwood, The Grizzly King
<3 Gabe helped several people with their homework
<3 I made “character cupcakes” for 40 friends (37 with interest) with a tag about a characteristic I admired about them on the tag.

<3 Gracie held the door open for everyone after she finished doing safety patrol
<3Benj was really nice to me all day and watched Ella while Aaron and I went out to dinner
<3 Shona was flying from Australia to South Africa and gave someone her “fast-pass” equivalent so they would not miss their plane. She also gave food and money to various needy folk.
<3 Jannelle, Madi and Gracie made and anonymously delivered sweet treats to surprise several friends and several random people too

<3 Lucia sent the cutest little boy in town to deliver some chocolates to a friend who has a bit of an addiction
<3Marianne drove someone to and from medical procedure
<3  Candice bought a client lunch and
<3 gave another a self-soothe kit (for anxiety)-more on her genius self-soothe kits in another post
<3 her husband made her tea in the morning and put it next to her bed.
<3Her kids did little things for each other and helped a kid at school.
<3 Kendell bought gift cards for a friend who had just been laid off

<3 Kallie made some sunshine andes cookies for the bishopric who had a marathon of meetings

<3Aaron left a waitress a 100% tip after my birthday meal.  That was so much fun! She was such a nice waitress and we were her last customers of the night.
<3 Amanda left money at the library to be applied towards someone’s fine. The fun thing? We found out through the facebook grapevine that night that it had gone to a friend of a friend who had racked up a big fine taking out books for her preschool class!
“This is what kindness does, Ms.Albert said. Each little thing we do goes out, like a ripple, into the world.”
― Jacqueline Woodson, Each Kindness
<3 Chantal paid for the person next to her settling up his account on the cruise ship on her vacation who did not have the right card.
<3 Kathy brought a pregnant friend a “life-saving pretzel "
<3 and brought another a birthday cake!
<3 Alyssa jumped someone’s car in the parking lot at school! and
<3 walked several dogs at the animal shelter with a friend!
<3The day after my birthday Gracie had surgery, our friends Madi and Jannelle brought over a delicious dinner and treats.  That is the nicest thing to come home to after a long day in the hospital.

<3 Amanda came over while Ella and I napped and made noodles for Gracie in my disgustingly messy kitchen.

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”
― Desmond Tutu

<3 Amanda also brought us all really comfy squishy pillows (she started with me and gracie but then added more to keep the peace in the home )
<3 Carolyn gathered a bucket of awesomeness for our recovering patient
<3 and drove our kids hither and thither

I can’t  remember a happier birthday. I barely had a minute to myself. It was 8pm before I even managed to get into the shower!  I don’t think I even had time to eat more than a bite or two until almost 10pm. It was not a day of pampering for the body, but certainly my soul got a full body massage, a facial and a day lying on the beach with an umbrella drink.  I felt so blessed and so incredibly touched and inspired to hear about the great kindness, generosity and creativity of so many lovely people. It was a sunshiny day and I never want to celebrate a birthday in any other way.
“You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.”
― Debbie Macomber, One Simple Act: Discovering the Power of Generosity
I will be doing the drawing at the end of today to give anyone I missed a chance to be included. Please forgive me and be sure to let me know if I overlooked your RAOK-I have tried hard to gather all the reports from sundry places but I have been endlessly interrupted and distracted. (Hence reporting in so many days after I said I would. So sorry!)

  Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

(I lost track after 100 acts but I know there were many more than that…  )

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