Marching into March

Last month seems like a blur. I am so far behind on blogging that I feel overwhelmed. So, in an effort to take a giant step forward, I am going to start my blog from March 1st. Hopefully, I will find the time to go back and fill you all in on the amazing things that happened during February. February was so fantastic and full of incredible things that I had no time to blog. But, all the more reason to tell you all about it. :0)

March 1: I was running late for an appointment. I blazed into the parking lot, threw my car into the first spot I saw and made a mad dash for the door. As I was about to break into a full on sprint, the driver of the car parked next to me asked if I would be long. I explained that I was not sure how long my appointment was but that I was running late...really late. She said, "Okay. Never mind." She turned her head away and I couldn't help but notice that something was wrong. I stopped and asked her why she was asking. It turns out her car battery died and a co-worker of hers was on the way to help jump start the battery. She was hoping to have the parking spot open so she could easily reach the two cars with the jumper cables. There really were no other parking spots open and I could certainly see her dilemma. I apologized as I ran into the building. I felt horrible. I wanted to help her but I could not afford to pay for a "missed" appointment. In that moment, that was all I could think about. As I finally entered the doctor's office, I felt a terrible burden for the lady I just met. I apologized for being late and explained the situation to the receptionist. Luckily, the receptionist was sympathetic. I excused myself and darted down to the parking lot to move my car. The lady was so thankful!

I know this is not exactly a perfect story of how I thought of others before myself, or that I jumped her car myself. Instead, it was a reminder to me that sometimes I am "that" person. You know. "That" person who is too busy to care about others, or "that" person who seems needlessly rude. "That" person who seems to not be able to give a single moment of their time to help someone who was really in need. Yes, the story ended alright, as I was able to move my car. But what a better story it would have been if I was able to express to this woman that she was more important than an appointment. Imagine how important I would have made her feel if I just took the extra moment to move my car right then. She was already stressed and I could have eliminated some rather than adding to it. Or even better, to jump her car myself. I had jumper cables with me. I know how to use them. This was a good reminder for me to stop and think about how other people see me and how my actions, or in-actions, can affect others even in the moments that I don't "have time" to think about it.

March 2: The PTA at my school does a great job. Right now we are enduring the daunting task of administering the CSAP (Colorado Student Assessment Program) and the PTA has worked hard to provide snacks for all of the students taking the assessment. I thought it would be nice to help. I have used donated popcorn from AMC Theaters in the past for youth group events, so I thought that perhaps AMC would like to donate for the students. Sure enough, they agreed to donate popcorn. I knew the students would be excited. I spoke to the coordinator of the snacks and told her about the donation. She was so excited. Evey day next week I will pick up a bag of popcorn and help eliminate some of the work from this busy PTA volunteer and to brighten the day of the students. It also makes me happy that the popcorn won't be wasted, but enjoyed by many instead.

March 3: I visited Mr. Ray and read his mail for him.

I am now volunteering to read to a blind man named Mr. Ray. I have volunteered for a little over a month now and have been so blessed to have him a special new friend. We have a good time together and he has taught me a lot about what it is like to be blind and the modifications he has to make in his daily life.

March 4: As I mentioned before, CSAP testing is currently underway. About a month ago, I went through the training required for all those who wish to proctor the test. It is a good thing I did, because there have been several times when I have been asked to proctor. While proctoring is certainly not fun, it does make me feel good that I have been helpful to the staff at my school. CSAP is stressful, and knowing that I have been able to eliminate a little stress makes me feel good. We are half way through at this point. Next week will be full of testing too.

March 5: Richard gave me some Legos that he wanted to donate. I was happy to give the Legos away to a teacher at my school. I love watching things be reused instead of thrown away. I also spent my morning cleaning the kitchen. I checked the dates on everything and purged, cleaned, and organized everything. I was so glad that I was able to recycle a lot of things instead of just trashing them.

While I am happy to share these things, I also feel that I must share with you how my family was blessed this week.

Maile at Christmas

My best friend, Amy, agreed to let our dog out. This was a huge blessing as my husband and I did not want to pay the money for doggy daycare. Amy has been great about taking care of our pup and also sending me reassuring text messages. Usually, when someone in the family is out of town, Maile gets sick or acts strangely. It has been so nice to not worry about Maile. Last night, my husband read on Amy's facebook page that her daughter has been ill. I had no idea! Amy never mentioned anything and she still took care of our baby. Amy is always so selfless and kind. She truly was a blessing to my family this week.

Well, that's it so far. Like I said, I will do my best to go back and fill everyone in on February. But for now I will just keep my goal at staying caught up from here on out.   Hugs and love, Chieko   :0)