Happy Birthday To Me!

Today was my birthday and boy was I busy! You may ask what I did to celebrate so below is a summary of all that I accomplished on my birthday. I'd love to know how you celebrate yours!

My day started by me thinking about how fortunate I feel and how there are so many people out there who are not as lucky as I am. Lucky? Is it luck? Maybe not. Maybe it's just hard work, but that's not the point. There are people out there who are lost in one way or another. Some may be finding themselves without a home. Some without a hope. Some without a friend who cares. Whatever the reason for them feeling lost, I wanted to help. If only I could spend a bit of time helping them out?

Then it dawned on me! I had a brilliant idea and I got straight to work providing a stable home to many children who have found themselves and their siblings to be orphans. They now can live in a supportive, community environment where they can grow into caring, productive, self-reliant adults. And the best part? They can stay with their siblings! Why did I spend my day doing this? It's simple. Because every child deserves a home. SOS Children's Villages Illinois

Then I got to thinking... these children have been separated from all they know. They need something to hold on to. So I spent a bit of time to pass out bags to help the kids feel like they can still keep some of their prized belongings that have been a constant in their turbulent lives. Sometimes they just need something to hold on to. My Stuff Bags Foundation


Time for lunch and a bit of Lemonade. I personally sponsored many small lemonade stands across the country, each with a noble cause: fighting childhood cancer, one cup at a time. I think the lemonade stands shoudl be able to stay in business for quite some time now. Sometimes it's the smallest, most meek souls who prove to be the bravest and most influential. Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation

By now it was time for my afternoon nap. Not really, but I do think my brain needed a bit of a recharge, which is a MUST-Do if one wants to inspire excellence, confidence and curiosity. When I look at my Ellie and my Addie, I see two souls who love nothing more than to learn, learn and then learn some more. If it stops being fun, then that spark will slowly fade. No way! I don't think so! Not on my watch! MathCounts Foundation

After my recharge, I was ready to tackle the world again and what better way to do that than through science! Addie would be proud! After all, there is nothing better than science transforming life. I helped to provide the best integrated and innovative care for patients and their families for various diseases. Someday, patient care will be transformed to become both proactive and personalized instead of simply reactive and victimized. National Jewish Health

When I finally had a chance to sit down and catch my breath, I got to thinking about beginnings and endings. It's not just about the magic that happens in between. What if I could provide sunny starts and bright futures too? So that's what I spent my afternoon doing - pressing Start Over buttons for many children who didn't know they even had such a thing. Bright Beginnings

On the way home, my mind wondered to endings. Every good book has an ending, right? It's easy to say that when one door closes another one opens but what if you feel like you're just stuck in a box? I decided to take a detour on the way home and provide a new sense of hope and healing for those who are grieving from the loss of a loved one. Somehow I managed to cram a year's worth of counseling into just a few moments but sometimes even the ending of a book needs to be modified. Sometimes the unspeakable happens and you need ways to figure out how to find your voice again. Judi's House

By the time I got home I was exhausted! I managed to do quite a bit in my one day. I would have also liked to spend a bit of time banning the sell of children (Traffick911) or host a bake sale (Cookies for Kids' Cancer) but really? There is only so much that one person can do in one day before running out of time and resources!

So... Tell me... What do you do to pass the time on your birthday?