The Challenge: Do something to make the day of a child.
Kim:
One of the greatest gifts I’ve received as a teacher has been the relationships I’ve maintained with some of my former students. I know it makes my day when I get a letter or email from one of my students, telling me what’s new and telling me about how big they are now. So, today I decided to send some messages to a few of them. When I was little I had a penpal and the days I would receive a letter would truly make my day. So, it felt really good to send my messages today. I even sent some pictures along.
Jason:
If it were a summer day, I’d try and track down a neighborhood lemonade stand and leave a really big tip. As far as I know, Kim & Jason are the only ones I can think of that would set up shop in the middle of winter in Wisconsin. My thoughts drifted across continents, to a boy named Hailemariam who lives in Ethiopia. Kim and I have been sponsoring “Hal” for about 10 years now through Compassion International. Through letters and pictures, we’ve seen him sprout like a weed and become more and more successful in school. My favorite parts of our correspondence have been the little drawings that he’d include with his letters. It has been neat to track his progress through his sketches. At the end of his letters, he always asks for more pictures of us.
We have sent him a lot of snapshots over the years, but I’ve never done a custom drawing just for him. Today I whipped out the colored pencils and drew Kim, Jason, and Hal sitting together on a Brontosaurus. I’ll add it to our next letter to him. I can’t be certain that it’ll make his day, but at least it’ll let him know that there’s somebody an ocean away thinking of him.
Dark Room Confessionals:
Bonus Video: Kim | Jason
So, who was most creative with today’s challenge? Who went beyond the comfort zone and put the biggest hammer on Adultitis? Who did a better job of capturing the spirit of childhood, Kim or Jason? Cast Your Vote!
Tomorrow’s Challenge: Audio Sneak Peek
Today I wrote out a Valentine for my niece and nephew (a K&J Valentine, of course!) – complete with a “fun” stamp on each of the envelopes, “wild thing” for Brien, “curious george” for Miranda. I wrote the inside of the card out in marker in his/her favorite color- blue and purple. When I was little I LOVED getting “my own” mail….I’m sure the kids will be very excited about it, too! I hope I make their day!! 🙂
For very important reasons, I will have to explain myself tomorrow.
Sometimes completing these challenges take hours of brainstorming and complex planning; other times opportunities to complete these challenges just show up. Today was a “just show up” day. I am out of town on a sales trip and while I was making a visit to one of the bookstores that carry our book. I was pretty early and as I was waiting for my contact to finish what she was doing, I wandered around and ended up in the children’s section. I found a spot in a little reading corner and grabbed a copy of “CLICK, CLACK, MOO!” – great book by the way! As I was getting into the story, a little boy, probably about 4 or so, came up to look at the book. As I looked him in the eye, he asked, “Canyoureadittome?” I said, “Sure” and spent the next 5 minutes reading about cows that type. His mom came to collect him, apologizing for him bothering me. I told her I was happy to read the story for him. He grinned and waved as she led him away. It made me feel very good to earn that grin in such a simple way.
Since I have a child, you’d think this challenge would be easy for me. I still haven’t figured out exactly how to make her day – she’s a little on the quiet side. But I read her lots of books, tickles and even let her roam around to meet and greet her fans while out at lunch.
But I think I made the day of a much bigger kid today. We are expecting Baby #2 and my husband was dying to find out the sex of the baby (I’d rather be surprised after all the hard work of labor). In the end, we had an ultrasound yesterday and my husband punched two fists in the air and screamed “yes” when the technician pointed out something between the legs. 🙂
Well, I was hoping I would be around some kids today or at least bump into some, but that didn’t happen, so I decided to send an email to some friends of mine who live in Alaska. They have 4 beautiful girls & I haven’t spoken with the girls in awhile, so I sent them an e-card of dressing up Stinky (character from Kim & Jason comic strip). I hope that it will make them smile. It made me smile thinking of their faces when their mom shows it to them.
Tonight Linda and I decided to get a good start on our granddaughters presents for Valentine’s Day and what better place to go than Frank’s Cigar Store, see my post for challenge #23! Since the girls have a new baby brother, Caden Walter we had to buy them blue bubble gum It’s a Boy cigars. We also purchased the following:
Bubble gum beads and crunchy candy watches.
red hot dollars.
wax lips (cherry flavored Jason)
cherry dip and lick lollipops
and the newest rage: air heads xtremes sour belts.
I hope this stuff doesn’t smell like cigars and please don’t tell the girls what we got them!
Inspired by Kim and Jason my wife and I decided to sponsor a child through the same Compassion.com organization that Kim and Jason use to sponsor Hailemariam in Ethiopia. The dilemma was picking a child. I went on the compassion.com website and seeing all those children in need broke my heart (who says Republicans don’t have hearts). I e-mailed Kim for advice and she just happen to have a packet to sponsor a little girl from Bolivia with her at her apartment. I am a big believer in fate and the decision was made. I contacted the people at Compassion to confirm that Mireya had not yet been sponsored and I was very glad to hear that she was still available. I immediately signed myself and my wife Darlene up as Mireya’s sponsors and I now have the anticipation of a five year old on Christmas morning waiting for the packet to arrive. I look forward to getting Mireya’s photo and information so that we may begin to make a difference in the life of one little girl in Bolivia. Thanks K & J!
Today Doug and I made some great homemade Valentine’s and sent them off to our nieces and nephew. Hopefully it will make their day even if we didn’t include any candy.
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