Giving is Better Than Receiving

For those of you that know me, it's no secret that volunteering and giving to charity is very important to me. I hope that Brian and I are able to pass that value on to our girls and that they grow up knowing that giving is better than receiving.

This past week we took Allison to "Build A Bear" so she could make a teddy bear to donate to Toys for Tots. I have volunteered with Toys for Tots at least once a season for the last ten years. I have helped parents "shop" for their children and have seen the look of appreciation in their eyes. I know what this charity can do. Most of the recipients are good parents trying to do their best. With the economy the way it is this year, I can only imagine that there will be even more parents hoping to be able to provide at least one gift for their child.

I realize that Allison didn't leave "Build A Bear" with warm fuzzies. By the time we reached the center of the mall she forgot all about the bear. However, I figured it is important for Brian and I to start doing this while the girls are so young. Otherwise, I think it would have been too easy to say "Next year we will start" or "We had a lot of extra expenses these past few weeks, maybe we will do something next year."

I think it is safe to say that we have found a new holiday tradition for our family.

Allison made a new buddy that night. She waltzed right up to the employee and put her hands on the girl's lap. She was very curious about what was going on.

Dad and Allison fluff up the teddy bear.

As a reward for her generosity, we took Allison on her first carousel ride. She has been eyeing this ride for months. When I used to volunteer every other week, Brian would take Allison to the mall for something to do and she was always attracted to the lights and motion. As soon as Brian put Allison on the horse, she got a big grin on her face and put her hands on the pole. She was ready for a ride. Brian said that when the horse started moving up and down, her eyes got real big. She wasn't sure about it at first, but she quickly got used to it. After a few "laps" she discovered that she could wave to me as they rode by. Every time she came around to where I was standing, she got a big grin on her face and gave me a wave.

Who would have guessed that a trip to the mall could have warmed my heart so much. Thanks for the memories Allison.