Kindness

By small and simple things are great things brought to pass (Alma 37:6).

I started compiling a list of all the acts of service rendered in Ruby’s name.

It started to get ridiculously long and too much to include in one blog post.

Instead I started grouping acts of service together… watched my friend’s children, took treats to my neighbor…

But then I felt it wasn’t doing the service justice because it was the stories behind the acts of kindness that I loved hearing about.

So I scrapped both ideas and compiled a document just for myself to keep of all the stories and service that I will be able to look at anytime.

I wish there was another word besides thank you to express my gratitude for everyone who took on the challenge to give service these last couple of weeks.

I feel completely overwhelmed (in a good way) with all that was done in behalf of my angel.

It was ridiculous how many times I logged in to read the giveaway comments with your service acts.

It was so inspiring.

Thank you to everyone who hosted a giveaway (and the very sweet blog posts about Ruby) and to everyone who entered and participated.

The weeks leading up to Ruby’s birthday were hard.

Extremely hard.

I cried a lot of tears.

However, the day of her birthday and the days following were so much easier to handle.

I felt the peace and comfort I did at this time last year.

Focusing on being better and providing service helped my days to be brighter, just like when she was here with me.

The outpouring of love that we started to receive again (just like this time last year) is unbelievable.

The emails, texts, blog comments, and phone calls have been so uplifting.

I really feel undeserving.

A lot of people have been saying how inspiring our story is.

What an inspiration we have been.

However, I don’t think this is the case.

It is people like all of you who take the time to send me a message or leave me a sweet comment that gives me the inspiration to honor Ruby and become a better person (the last parts a slow process).

So in reality it is you who is inspiring.

It’s a good thing I can blame all of this on Ruby, because it isn’t anything I am doing.

It is her. Her story. Her love that brought all this about.

I am so thankful for her.

After reading everything that was done for her I really felt the need to step it up and do more.

I truly believe that if we all were a little kinder (including myself) the world would be a better place.

One little thing can make or break someone’s day.

I know because one little thing has made or broken my day in the past.

One of my favorite apostles is Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin and he gave an amazing talk in April 2005 at General Conference on kindness.

He says: Kind words not only lift our spirits in the moment they are given, but they can linger with us over the years.

Find the whole talk here, it is definitely worth reading: The Virtue of Kindness

I am recommitting myself to be better, more kind, starting in my own home.

Jared, Luke and I participated in our own acts of kindness but only took 2 pictures and since this post needs pictures, here they are:

We delivered donuts to the pharmacy. I am partial to pharmacies and always loved it when customers brought us treats.

We took back all the carts in the parking lot. Luke made sure we got every last one, now this is a common thing we have to do whenever we go to Target (which is a lot).

Thank you for being so kind to us.