Aidan's First Charity!

Hello all,

Things have been a little hectic on the home front lately but we are trying to keep in good spirits anyways. I am in my second week of part time hours and it definately a joy...I find it very relaxed to work 4-6 hours during the day and come home get all the stuff I need to do around the house and then Aidan and I can hang out for a bit by ourselves until Judd gets home.

Aidan and I have started doing his Kindergarten work book as well everyday after daycare as I think it is important for him to start learning to read and write and have a good handle on it before he starts school. Somedays he enjoys it and other days we only do a little because he is just too tired. Aidan participated in his very first charitable act over the past few days. We decided to go ahead with the shoebox gift for an underprivledged child during Christmas. We went out over the weekend (Judd, Aidan and I) and all picked out some things to include. We ended up getting way to much and all of it wouldn't fit into the shoebox and we had lots of fun doing it. I am so proud of Judd as well because he usually doesn't do well shopping (especially in Wal-Mart) but he got right into it finding things to put in the box. We (or I should say Aidan) chose a 5 year old boy to give to so it was easy to find things as Aidan is so close to that age. Items we included were t-shirt, socks, matchbox cars, crayons, sketch book, stickers, playdoh, toothbrush andsome other small toys. Tonight we put it all together and we will drop it off next week to be picked up and shipped off to it's destination in time for Christmas. It was such a fun thing to do with Aidan and it gave me the opportunity to explain poverty to him and I was so proud of him when he started going through even his own things to give away to this boy as he said he would be really sad if there was nothing for him on Christmas and he didn't want any other kids to be sad on Christmas....he just fills my heart back up at all the right times! Often times I loose faith in people and find that the world is cruel and unforgiving and then I look at him and all those thoughts go away and if even for just a moment he makes my world perfect again, man we love this little guy so much!

Judd was busy working on the deck this weekend and dealing with some extended family feuding that is going on....but mostly the deck. It is nearing completion and looks very fancy indeed! I will be sure to add some photos for you all to see when it is done which should be before the end of the week. Pretty happy that I finally have stairs too!

Anyways it's off to bed for me as my family is already all fast asleep. Enjoy the new pics and we hope you are all happy and healthy!

Love: Judd, Sarah, Aidan, Kneesaa and Ichabod