I really did take a nap at the Dollar Store!

After a very busy week of homeschooling, driving Joel back and forth to the theatre and all our other things going on last week I was VERY tired by Friday! I had just dropped off Joel for rehearsal and I had lots of shopping to do to fill 3 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.

We pulled into the parking lot at the Dollar Store. Jaden was sleeping in his car seat - lucky boy can sleep anytime he wants! I turned to my daughter Ivy and said I was just too tired to get out of the car! I needed to take a nap..... and I did!!!! I actually reclined my seat there in the parking lot and slept soundly for half an hour! Finally, Ivy woke me up, (Uh, mom, you should wake up now..." )

After my parking lot nap, I felt much better and able to shop for the rest of the afternoon. And we had so much fun buying things to fill up the boxes!!! We decided to fill a box for 3 children roughly the same ages as our own.... a little boy 2-4 years old, and one for each a boy and girl 10-14 years old.

I was somewhat worried about Jaden seeing lots of fun toys and things going into the cart at all the stores we visited, wanting the things for himself. But he seemed to understand that we were buying for children who had no toys. We even let him pick out the things and help pack the box for the boy his age.

We filled the boxes with as much toys and things as we could and also included candy and toothbrushes, tooth paste and wash cloths and also a note and picture of our family in each box. We decorated the boxes with stickers and took them to our church on Sunday where they are collecting them to send to Samaritan's Purse. But most important, we prayed over each box, praying for the children who will be recieving them.

If you would like more info about this, go to www.samaritanspurse.org It may be too late to send a Christmas box, but there are other things you can do to help needy families and children this Christmas.