Memories Are Amazing!
A few weeks back, I was selected to participate in Random Acts of Zhu 2011, a program that allows moms like me to give back to my community by donating toys to a charity of my choice.
Helping the Delivery Driver unload the Zhu-niverse!
Random Acts of Zhu
One night, the delivery man knocked on our door with two boxes: “Yeah! Presents I ordered.”
“Wrong!” He said, “I have about 38 more of these in my truck.”
Again, Wrong!
He had FIFTY more cases of Zhu Zhu toys in his delivery truck.
He told me I would get another shipment the next day because they were not allowed to deliver *too many* boxes to a residential address.
The kiddos and our RAZ2011 Delivery
Finding the Charity to Gift Our Random Acts of Zhu
The next night, FIFTY MORE cases of zhu-zhu toys arrived at our doorstep! Our living room was invaded by Kung Zhu toys!
Upon opening 100 cases of Zhu Zhu hamsters and accessories, I was dismayed to find that this donation would be primarily for boys.
How could I find a charity that was mostly boys without hurting all of the girls’ feelings?
I started making calls; I knew that God would lead us to the right place.
Sure enough, the first call I made was to our local children’s shelter, Children’s Shelter of the Upstate, Inc, and Robyn, who is in charge of dispersing Christmas cheer to girls and boys placed in foster care around the Upstate. She told me that this year she was inundated with boys who needed a merrier Christmas, and there weren’t many toy donations geared toward boys. I was more than happy to help!
We Wrapped for Our Random Acts of Zhu
I took the names of all of the boy’s ages 4 – 10 and two girls (who, like my daughter, are a little bit tom-boyish), and we started wrapping.
We wrapped.
We wrapped some more.
We wrapped a little bit more.
We invited friends to help us wrap.
We Delivered the Kung Zhu Wrapped Gifts
Finally, we were finished and ready to deliver. Each child received a hamster and a full line of Kung Zhu accessories, including battle armor, tanks, a mega-battlefield, a mission control room, and many other cool things to help with the battle! What fun!
Bringing RAZ2011 into the Children’s Shelter Lobby
My children had so much fun hauling presents into the lobby of the Children’s Shelter. They were thrilled that these children would awaken to fun on Christmas. It was a wonderful learning experience for the two older children, who were initially a little confused about why Santa wouldn’t just deliver toys to these children. We explained that these children would be asking Santa for things like coats and books and toothbrushes, things that my children take for granted. We further explained that every child needs something fun to open on Christmas morning.
Of course, we didn’t get to see the kiddos opening presents since they were given to them on Christmas morning, but I know the excitement must have been CRAZY for them!
Rebekah Grace Ellis
In addition to the twenty children we were able to help at Children’s Shelter of the Upstate, Inc, I also stumbled upon another family in need. We recently had our family photographed by Rachel Mazzaferro and fell in love with her work. Her church worked with a family whose two-year-old daughter, Rebekah Grace, recently had heart surgery. She has FOUR big brothers who have been loving their little sister, and I am sure sacrificing so much for her! How could I resist helping those wonderful boys?! You can read more about Rebekah Grace at her mom’s blog, Rebekah Grace Ellis.
I know they continue to need our prayers for sweet Rebekah’s recovery!
I am in awe of how God works small miracles and gives us people we need in our lives and how one company can spread so much love and joy to so many children around the country in Random Acts of Zhu.
What a wonderful way for my family to give back to the community, thanks to Cepia LLC!
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| Lauralee Saad loves homeschooling her three kiddos: Ballerina, age 8, Big Boy, age 6, and MESS, age 3. She enjoys sewing when she can find a spare corner to set up her machine and dig out fabrics, cooking and baking – especially if the kiddos are helping, and enjoying a good book after the kiddos have gone to bed. She is thrilled to be welcoming a baby girl into the family in March of 2012. |