#random kindness

Remember the time you held the door for an elderly person? Or the time you waved and made faces at a grumpy baby in the grocery store? Think now, of all these little things you've down over the years

You make a difference. Yes you.

Those little random acts of kindness shine more than you could know. That five dollar tip for a cup of coffee, or that time you hung out with your friend after a bad break up. Things that may seem meaningless or inconsequential in the moment can add up, and boomerang back to you in unexpected way.

I know the saying "do unto others" has a lot of religious baggage attached, but it's the one thing the church taught me that I use despite not being overly religious. Make a difference in someone else's life, and watch karma return to you in an even bigger way.

Every time I think that I am worthless, I remind myself of my disabled and elderly neighbor. I clean and do her laundry in exchange for a few bucks and some hugs. People in my apartment building have come up to me to say what a difference I make in her day. For me, it was small and something I did just to be kind, but to her? It made the day brighter and easier to enjoy. She no longer has to worry about clean clothes or slipping in the kitchen.

I assure you, even if you feel worthless, you are so much more. Your actions define you in ways you can't imagine, and all those random acts of kindness really do matter.

I don't even know how to start this story so I'm just going to jump right in.

I was just on a casual drive with my mother along some back roads, we crossed an old river crossing and what we found has kept me smiling for the past 30 minutes. It made me feel like an excited 7 year old!

Along the roadside were various signs which read;

"Going on a bear hunt? How many bears can you spot?"

I managed to snap a few quick photos of two signs.

Some awesome human beings set up a teddy bear scavenger hunt!!! And not just of 3 or 4 bears, no. There's nearly TWENTY bears over the space of roughly 15kms or so (not too sure I was busy hunting bears)

They're all different sizes and colours, there was a Christmas one and a valentines one and one in a night gown and lil bed cap.

It was probably the most excited and happy I've been in a long time. What a fantastic idea!

Here's a couple bear pics:

Fun fact - the majority of my record collection is classical music since I pilfered most of what I have from my parents and my dad is a classical music buff.  Listened to this Russian Easter Overture while doing yoga in my dark 7 a.m. living room.  

Let’s talk about this bump, shall we?  

She’s definitely getting big and it’s such a weird (but exciting) thing.  When I go to take a picture, or do any other normal activity like getting scanned at the airport, I always catch myself sucking in and have to remind myself that I don’t need to (because honestly, it does no good!).  When you’re trained your entire life to try and look thinner than you are it’s a strange concept to let it all hang out.  

The top of my stomach is getting quite hard (but only when standing) and the bottom is all soft fluffity fluff.  I am curious how it’s going to continue to grow and evolve the next 12 weeks.  My maternity photo shoot is scheduled for November 17th (32 weeks pregnant - four weeks from now) so I do hope it’s a bit more pronounced by then for some extra bumpalicious pics.  

I’m loving being in this place, though.  To finally have this undeniable bump reminding me how far we’ve come from the three years of trying, the countless failed IUIs, the failed IVF and then miraculously conceiving naturally.  Erp’s movements are still subdued compared to what I’m reading from other women but her tiny jerks are comforting all the same.  I’m definitely cherishing this stage of life even though I’m having a hard time conceptualizing what exactly it all means and just how much life is going to change come January.  

Please enjoy this random selfie where I was showing off how similar my go-to happy face matches my favorite emoji 😃.  

Oh!  And a cute girl complimented my shoes today!  She looked slightly goth and wasn’t the type I would expect to be a fan of light pink wedges let alone tell me she liked them.  Love the kindness of strangers and random compliments!  Must pay this forward.  

Dinner tonight felt like a total hack. I cooked spaghetti squash in the crock pot while at work then just browned some ground beef, threw in some cheese and marinara and voila - low carb dinner in less than 20 minutes.    

Let’s sprinkle in some Saki pics for good measure.  

I CRIED SO MUCH. SO MUCH! 'Specially when I suddenly realised I've been listening to them for 18 years! My soul was in every song I sung with the band and the fans. 💖

About how much random human kindness matters. Today my neighbors, whom we have not often even spoken to (we have lived here for less than a year) came over with greetings of "Merry Christmas" and a packaged plate of cookies, brownies, cinnamon bread, and fudge.

It was such a simple thing, but it was sweet (literally) and adorable and now I need to do something nice back. Not sure what yet, but I will think of something.

I wasn't even having a bad day, but this made it all the more brighter, and especially around this time of year.