Who am I?

I guess my tagline would be: I'm an imperfect stay-at-home Mom who is always praying for patience, guidance and naptime. I have 2 incredibly....passionate children (Kaitlyn whose 4 and Ava whose 1), a husband I have the pleasure of driving crazy every day and 2 retrievers who would walk around on your feet if you'd let them. 

Some people might call their children stubborn or pig-headed; some might call their children argumentative or pain-in-the-tooshes. I chose "passionate" because, as my husband would tell you, they get their personalities from their mother. So, we are a passionate family that plays, argues and loves fiercely.

It's this last trait that made me want to start this blog. We knew we wanted to raise our children with the same moral values we were raised with. We wanted them to be grateful for the blessings provided for them and to work hard to provide blessings for others. But I had to recognize that they're kids. They're toddlers and preschoolers. I needed to find a balance between scaring them with the realities of our sometimes-unfair world while still giving back to that same world.

That's really why I started this blog. It's a collection of ideas and community service projects that you can do with your own children. I look at it as a small way to help shape the next generation's moral compass because really? What greater gift can we give them? 

We must view young people not as empty bottles to be filled, but as candles to be lit.
--Robert H. Shaffer

~ ~ Let Me Give ~ ~

I do not know how long I'll live
But while I live, Lord, let me give
Some comfort to someone in need
By smile or nod, kind word or deed

And let me do whatever I can
To ease things for my fellow man
I want naught but to do my part
To "lift" a tired or weary heart

To change folks' frowns to smiles again
Then I will not have lived in vain
And I'll not care how long I'll live
If I can give... and give... and give

(Author Unknown)