Wheeler Mission

On Christmas Eve this year our kids went back to their other parents to spend the night then came back to us on Christmas day.  I am not sure what schedule I like more, when they come to us first or come to us second....but I will say I was really happy with how this year worked out. 

On Christmas Eve Kyle and I went downtown and volunteered at Wheeler Mission. We loaded up trays with food and handed them out to the homeless.  It was a great experience.  Most of the people there were so appreciative and thankful. 

As the men walk by you you can't help but wonder how they go to this point in their life.  What is their story?  Do they have kids, parents, any family?  Do they have somebody that worries about them?  Thinks about them?  Do they make efforts to get out of the situation they are in?  Is that a possibility for all of them?

It reminds us that EVERYONE has a story and their story is not less important or less tragic than our own.   Everyone faces mountains, some more often than others.  I am reminded to be thankful for the things that I have.  I have so many wonderful things in my life but the most important things love, shelter, food, and family make my cup runneth over on a daily/hourly basis.  I am so happy where I am in my life. 

I have those four "basic" things and I am happy and many of these men are happy, genuinely happy and they don't have those things (well they do, but only at the willingness of others they have shelter and food).  I would love to hear their stories.  I would love to hear about their lives.

Wheeler Mission hands out THREE meals EVERYDAY for the homeless.  They ask for nothing in return.  They provide shelter for anybody that needs it every night.  It is an incredible thing. I need to volunteer more often!

name change

I remember having to change my name the first time.  I went from a Nunn to a Coffey.  It was so annoying.  As soon as you think you changed everything you would realize there was still something else that needed to be changed.  Your credit cards, debit cards, bills, student loans, license, passport and the list goes on.  I just don’t understand why I have no patience for stuff like this.  Now that I am married my name is going to change to Barrentine and I just haven’t worked up the patience to get myself to the BMV.

I really wish we were all just given a code and went by that.  Not like our social security number, that is WAY too many numbers for me to remember.  But a group of numbers and letters…..From now on refer to me as 91A12, I like the sound of that.

This way people can have any name they want and don’t have to change a thing.  Your ‘code’ would be your true identity.  I guess it does kind of sound like a prison inmate number…. if you looked at my license picture you would see it totally fits a prison ID number (I look like I had just gotten taken down by Big Bertha in cell block 6).

A code…..it is genius!

Damn, if I were president I could solve all the first world problems!

Playing with toys...UGH

I am just not equipped to play with boys.  It is like learning a foreign language trying to figure out what to do with the cars or dinosaurs or army men.  I just don’t do any of it right (according to my always right son). 

Yesterday we were playing with dinosaurs and Army men.  I was assigned the job of T-Rex.  I was feeling really good about it because T-Rex is like the boss of all bosses.  So as I am playing I learn there are lots or rules (he cant go in the water, he can’t eat that, he can’t take those, he can’t run that fast…..).  So eventually I decided that his short little arms were hilarious and T-Rex needed someone to tie his pretend shoes and someone to feed him his lunchy.  Aiden at first went along with it….UNTIL T-Rex asked Sloane to hold his hand because he was scared.  Where of which Sloane put down her assigned job and began to hold T-Rex’s hand.  Aiden had had it with us at that point. 

I do puzzles, I do games, I do outside….I just don’t do Barbie’s, dinosaurs, army men, and baby dolls.  I never played with them and I just don’t know what to do with them.  It is awkward and weird to pretend.  I was clearly not born with an imagination.

As I am writing this my kids are playing, TOGETHER, not fighting, not arguing, JUST PLAYING with each other.  It is the most amazing noise I have ever heard.  I know this won’t last long.  Aiden is quite bossy and Sloane is quite independent so the two don’t mesh well.  I will love it while it lasts.  Their imaginations are incredible.  I will admit to anyone that they didn’t get that from their mama.

And the tears have begun….I must go.