My #26Acts Are Complete in Honor of Sandy Hook's Olivia Engel

Well, we're nearing on the anniversary of the Sandy Hook tragedy, and last year I pledged to do #26acts of kindness in honor of the young lives that were lost on that day - specifically in honor of Olivia Engel.  

Photo courtesy of: thedailybeast.com

It's not a lot, but here is the list of the #26acts I actually documented.

#1. Donated a bunch of clothing to charity.

#2. Bought a Christmas blanket for a cashier at the grocery store who needed some comfort.

#3. Surprised our mail carrier with some hot chocolate.

#4. Secretly added money to a piggy bank for a lucky shopper to find. 

#5. Gave a year's worth of water to a family in need through WaterAid.

#6-26. Donated hundreds of school supplies for 61 homeless children through #BagItForward.

There were other little good deeds sprinkled throughout the year here and there, but these are the ones I documented.

I'm proud of my family, that we actually carried through on this #26acts challenge to remember to do good and spread kindness to others in our community this year. I hope this post and others like it will inspire your family to do the same this year and every year after.

Happy Holidays! 

Did your family carry out any acts of kindness this year? I'd love to hear about them below!

McKinney Mommas' #26acts of Kindness - Round Four

Okay, time is passing just way too fast this year. My youngest will be one year old in just 3 short months, and it seems like only yesterday she was born.

As many of you know, I pledged to do #26acts of kindness this year in in honor of Olivia Engel who was one of the child victims of the Sandy Hook tragedy.

I feel like I've done probably quite a few more little bits of good here and there, but here are my official #26acts so far:

#1. Donated a bunch of clothing to charity

#2. Bought a Christmas blanket for a cashier at the grocery store who needed some comfort

#3. Surprised our mail carrier with some hot chocolate

And for number four of our 26acts of kindness this year.......................  

Well, I have to give all the credit to my daughter "Big Sister H" for this one:

We were out at a local coffee shop (Snug on the Square - McKinney, TX) getting breakfast a month or two ago (this is how behind I am) and my little peanut spotted a cute little ceramic piggy bank for sale. 

She asked me for some money, so I explained to her that the piggy bank was going to stay in this store, and that the money would have to stay in the piggy bank and surprise someone who took it home with them.

She was cool with that fact, she's a pretty giving person, for a 2 year old!  So, she proceeded to fill the piggy bank with all sorts of coins for whichever random stranger ends up buying the little piggy.

She was so satisfied with herself after her 4th #26acts.  Of course I was proud of her for giving away her coins to a "neighbor."  I hope that little piggy ends up blessing someone with a plethora of riches both real and imagined.



What good can you spread today?

McKinney Mommas' #26Acts of Kindness - Round Two!

It's not over yet, ladies and gentlemen.

#26acts of kindness is still alive and well over here in McKinney, Texas.

The other night I had to run to the store after putting the kiddos to sleep, for the 5th time, and get some baby food and a few other staples (yes, wine is a staple, ahem).

A customer in front of me in the line had a whole cart full of like 20 blankets, and was splitting her order into a few separate methods of payment. I felt myself becoming irritated at the thought of having to waste my precious moments of "me time" in a checkout line, instead of relaxing on my couch.

Eavesdropping, as I normally do. I heard the cashier say she thought the blankets were a great deal and wished she had the opportunity to buy one before they were gone, but had to work late.

The image of Olivia Engel popped into my head, as I had just written a blog post about keeping the memory of the victims of Sandy Hook alive, in our #26acts of kindness throughout the year.  

I really just wanted to get home.  But, I thought.... 

It's the times when it's not easy or convenient that an act of kindness really makes a difference.

So, I excused myself in line and pushed my cart all over the store to find the spot where these fleecy blankets were. There were only (2) left. 

It was meant to be.

My second attempt at #26acts - McKinney, Texas

I found the line with the same cashier, Marilyn, and plopped my blankets down on the conveyer belt.

"I know it's not much, but I want to buy this blanket for you," I say.

For a moment, she just looked at me.

I began to explain, all of the sudden my voice cracking, flooded with emotion,  how I wanted to keep the memory of the victims of Sandy Hook Elementary alive, by spreading good around with #26acts of kindness throughout the year.

She also began to tear up, and told me she was going to school to continue her education as a social worker to try to help those in need, like the families effected by the Sandy Hook tragedy, but had been having trouble finding employment.

I wished her luck in her education and career and said I hoped this blanket would give her some much needed comfort.

Walking away, I felt strange...but in a really good way. I can't remember the last time I did something kind for a stranger. Like I said, it's not much but at least it's something. 

Something instead of nothing.

It may have been just a blanket, but it reinforced my commitment to continue with #26acts of kindness this year.  I encourage you to do the same and share with us how you're teaching your family how to be kind to the world - one act of kindness at a time.

Remembering Sandy Hook Victim: Olivia Engel, 6 #26acts

Whenever I see posts about people doing random acts of kindness, I'm touched, inspired to do more myself.....and then often forget about it the next day.

I want this time to be different.

Photo by: Stuart Miles/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

After the tragedy at Sandy Hook/Newtown, CT, Ann Curry of NBC News proposed #26acts (of kindness), to honor the lives lost on December 14, 2012.

What if everyone reading this post, committed to do 26 acts of kindness this year?

In the midst of such negativity in the world right now, that sounds like a whole lot of good to me! 

Are you in?

In conjunction with #26actsofkindness, a handful of the bloggers at #GlobalTeamof200 and Mom Bloggers for Social Good, decided to get together and each create a blog post about each of the 26 victims of Sandy Hook, to honor their lives and memory. 

I chose to honor, Olivia Engel. 

Maybe it's because her name is so similar to my youngest daughter's name.  Or maybe it's because of her beaming smile seen below.

Photo courtesy of: thedailybeast.com

Her favorite color was purple, just like the scarf she was wearing in this family photo session.  She loved to laugh the loudest at the jokes she'd tell herself, to parents Brian, Shannon and 3yr old brother, Brayden.  A lover of the water, she was a great swimmer and "first mate" on her daddy and grandpa's boats.  

Olivia liked to play with American Girl dolls, something my daughter has not yet discovered. I hope that if and when my little girl asks for her first American Girl doll, I will be reminded of Olivia's joyful life and be inspired to do good for someone that day - when it comes.

She was known to carry around a stuffed lamb (also my daughter's favorite security blankie), and excelled in math and reading. Never a moment to be still, Olivia participated in dance class, church group, tennis and soccer as well as Daisy Girl Scouts. She was a girl on the move, bringing joy and laughter to all who surrounded her.

This precious angel was practicing to be an angel in a Christmas Eve pageant at her church, before her life was cut short just days before the production. I'm sure her practice on earth, prepared her for a starring role in heaven. 

Photo courtsey of: FriendsOfTheEngelFamilyFund

There is nothing I can say to make things better, nothing I can do to begin to ease the overwhelming grief that her parents and brother must be feeling. 

I am brought to my own tears by just writing about Olivia's story today, but it's a grain of sand compared to the immense beach of feelings her family and friends will have to tread through over the next weeks, months, and for the rest of their lives.

The only thing I can do is attempt to give kindness in unexpected places when and where I can. Maybe I can touch a life that will somehow prevent a tragedy like this from taking place again. 

I pledge this year to participate in #26actsofkindness.

Starting this week.

#1. McKinney Mommas' first of #26acts was to donate a bunch of clothes, shoes, and household items to Captain Hope's Kids, a program that benefits homeless children in North Texas. 

Photo courtesy of: captainhopeskids

I included my toddler, asking if she wanted to "keep" or give "away" some of her belongings to children who didn't have enough clothes. By the end of the day, she was saying "away, away" to even some of her favorite toys and would help put them on the porch for pick-up. 

I know it's not a lot, but it's something that might help give a child warmth this winter and give them a taste of hope. 

It's easy to give back in honor of the lives lost at Sandy Hook. 

You can start by:

• Donating blood through the Red Cross
• Donate your hair to Locks of Love (http://www.locksoflove.org/)
• Support Project Eagle (started by the principal at Sandy Hook who lost her life) 
• Leaving a note for your postman/woman telling them they are valued
• Volunteer at a soup kitchen in your town (http://www.dosomething.org)
• Finding a local program that you can volunteer at (http://www.volunteermatch.org/)
• Leave a note with some cash or a gift card at the grocery store or on someone's car.
• Send a note of support or donate to Friends of the Engel Family Fund

The possibilities are endless, and your chance to do good are also!

I encourage you today, go..................do good.

Please, come back and tell me all about it!