What a Wonderful World

Sometimes you just need a reminder that people care.

You need something to happen that changes your outlook on your day.

Or even life.

A single event, hug, kiss, smile, letter, gift, or gesture that has you singing Louis Armstrongs lovely song, "And I think to myself, what a wonderful world."

I had that unexpected reminder today.

I came home from work to a letter from my friend, Kari.

 

First things first, I love that she mentioned Baby Sieb in the "to" line!

Second, I love that she is doing 26 Random Acts of Kindness (and she picked me as one of the recipients!!!)

Third, she obviously knows me very well because I LOVE food, especially breakfast / brunch food. 

Fourth, did I mention that she is spreading love and kindness in the world!?

Kari included this card as well:

I've be hit by kindness!
PS Stop judging my chipped nail polish. I'm fixing it tonight, promises.

Kari, thank you so much for including me in your 26 Random Acts of Kindness.

And most importantly, thank you for reminding me (and countless other people) that we really can live in a wonderful world if we spread love and kindness in our daily lives. 

I'm writing up a letter and passing along a Random Act of Kindness tonight. 

Watch out- it could be coming your way! :)

Much love,

Ashley

A Year of Random Acts of Kindness: Weeks 6-7

I know what you are thinking...

Don't you love how I always try to guess what you're thinking?

"Ashley, have you stopped being kind?! You haven't posted in a few weeks!"

Life and vacation kept me busy over the holidays, so it was difficult to find time to blog.

But, I promise you that I was kind.

I opened the doors for strangers.

I picked up an old lady's cookie after she dropped on the ground. She refused to eat it, but I encouraged her to remember the five second rule. And noted that it rained earlier so the ground was probably clean. She still didn't eat the cookie. And yes, I thought about eating the cookie.

I bought healthy snacks for our family on vacation. Don't worry- I also won everyone over by purchasing chocolate covered bacon for us to share.

The verdict?
More bacon. Always.

But my favorite random act of kindness happened on New Year's Eve.

Justin and I were having lunch at The Friendly Fishermen.

The breeze was perfect.

The view was beautiful.

Nothing beats a beer with an ocean view.

The sun was shining.

And ninja birds were stalking us.

Look closely. He is standing like a ninja.

But don't worry, we did not feed the birds.

Angry Birds.

But we probably wouldn't have shared our food anyway. Our spread was de-lic-ious. We had raw oysters, a smoked fish spread, mahi mahi nuggets, and a stuffed carb.

And the cherry on the sundae was our amazing server.

She reminded me of my Grandma Kaye because she made us laugh and smile so much. She kept our beers coming, and checked up on us without stalking us like the ninja birds.

She was simply a rockstar.

And I knew I wanted to surprise her with a generous tip.

"I just love her," I told Justin. "She is great!"

"You want to leave her a large tip, don't you?" Justin asked as if he was reading my mind.

I smiled.

Of course, I did! And I was positive he felt the same way.

So I used some of my Christmas money and left her a $20 dollar tip (about 50% of our bill).

Public Service Announcement: Your server probably only makes $2.13 / hour so tip at LEAST 20%!!

Back to your regularly scheduled blog...

I also wrote her a note to make her smile:

I snapped this picture before the note and cash nearly blew off the pier.
Because I'm full of luck...

Share your heart with everyone you meet.

And tip a few extra dollars when you receive exceptional service.

You'll both be happy you did....

Much love,
Ashley

A Year of Random Acts of Kindness: Week 5

I have a confession. I went to bed on Friday unsure about attending Sussy Day.

Now, I LOVED the concept and purpose of Sussy Day.

And I obviously love The Sussy Project.

But I was completely overwhelmed with work. 

I had 13 award nominations to write.

A campaign to work on.

And (okay, I won't bore you with all the details and projects).

But before I could make up another excuse, I reminded myself of the unthinkable tragedy the day before.  I thought of the children...the children and teachers whom I've never met, but have changed my life. 

"Ashley, now more than ever- you need to remind people that kindness still exists. Get up and show people that violence and hate will be defeated by love and kindness."

And then I read this story...The First Day's Lecture:

On the first day of class, the philosophy professor stood behind a table that had on it a large, empty mayonnaise jar, a box of golf balls, a box of pebbles, and a box of sand. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up the very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up the box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up the box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things--your family, your children, your health, your friends, your favorite passions--things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

"The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car.

The sand is everything else--the small stuff.

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house, and fix the disposal.

"Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented.

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers." 

-END of STORY-

 I pulled myself out of bed and told myself that my laptop was staying closed today.

All day.

The sand will not win today.

I made up my mind to focus on the golf balls, the pebbles, and the beers. 

And I'm so thankful and happy that I pulled myself out of bed on that rainy morning. We passed out hand warmers, candy, gift cards, and Sussy t-shirts to people in the mall. We wrote 36 Christmas cards and Meggie gave the Starbucks crew a $100 gift card to use on the patrons. 

Dalton Dingus has a dying wish to break a world record and receive the most Christmas cards. We wrote him 36 different cards.

We decorated tags wishing people a Merry Christmas & Happy Holiday. I didn't have Christmas colors, so I was wishing people an even brighter holiday with those neon colors.

Surprising people with gifts at the mall with Josh and Meggie.

The Sussy Squad - all smiles after a successful morning.

The rain stopped and the gifts began.
The Sussy Squad takes downtown Indy!

One of the most touching moments of the morning was when a woman came over to thank us for her coffee. 

"Thank you so much," she said. "You're all a reminder that good people still exist in the world, especially after yesterday's events..."

We all held back tears, but managed to say "you're welcome" + wished her a Merry Christmas.

The day was perfect. I shared many laughs and made new friends.

And best of all, I spent the rest of the day smiling and wanting to spread love to everyone who crossed my path.

Much love,
Ashley

A Year of Random Acts of Kindness: Week 4

Kindness comes in all forms.

A smile.

A small gift.

A donation.

A helping hand.

A phone call.

A compliment.

An amount of your time.

A cookie.

A shoulder to cry on.

A door to hold open.

And during Week 4, my random act of kindess came in the form of advice. 

A week earlier, I was running with one of my best friends Ryan. He told me he had a second job interview at a position he was REALLY excited about.

The job had some elements of social media, so while we were running I started rattling off ideas and opportunities for him to consider.

"If you want, I can take a look at the site and give you some ideas!" I told Ryan. "I also have a lot of research I could send your way."

"Would you really? That would be amazing!" Ryan said.

On Sunday evening, I realized the weekend escaped and I had forgotten to email Ryan the information I promised.

Frantically, I typed up a list of ideas and gave him research for inspiration. The ideas were simple enough to inspire him...and I knew he would take the ideas and run with them + apply them to the organization to the position / organization.

Ryan replied back in all capital letters: "WOW- YOU ARE AMAZING. Thank you so much!"

A week later, Ryan called me at work and left me the best voicemail ever.

I saved it because his kind words and happiness was so contagious.

When I called him back, I could feel his smile through his voice.

"I got the job!" he said instantly.

"I am soooo proud of you, Ryan!" I said. "I knew you'd get it!

"Ashley, I couldn't have done it without you," Ryan said. "You've done your good karma for an entire year!"

At that moment, I realized that I did my random act of kindness and didn't even know it! And best of all, my friend has a job that he loves!

As you grow in your profession and gain more skills, don't hoard your knowledge to yourself.

Share your ideas and inspiration with your friends, especially if they are seeking your help!

Offer your best advice.

Encourage them to be creative.

And most importantly, believe in them.

Much love,
Ashley 

A Year of Random Acts of Kindness: Week 3

$1,500.

That's how much we have to pay in car repairs over the next few weeks.

But- it could be worse! At least we both have good jobs. And we are alive.

So...

Despite the (always) unexpected hit to our bank account, The Year of Random Acts of Kindness must go on!

On Saturday, I spent the morning with my girls drinking bloody mary's and mimosas.

Ann and Ashley.
Day drinking.

I needed that morning of laughs, especially after our car news.

"Animals are not allowed to drink from the well."
We are grown-ups. I promise.

On the way home, my friend Ann and I stopped at Taco Bell.

Always a good idea after a few drinks, right?

(Wrong. I ended up getting sick after eating Taco Bell. Never again). 

"Ann!" I said. "I need to do my random act of kindness today! I'm going to buy this guy's lunch behind us. And your lunch!"

"What if his bill is really expensive?" Ann asked.

"Well- then Justin will lecture me and I'll remind him...that it was just meant to be!" I said.

We both laughed- knowing that Justin would shake his head if he heard me say that...

I pulled up to the window and said, "Hi! I'd like to pay for my order and the guy behind me!"

The young girl smiled, "Okay!"

"And just tell him that I said 'Have a great day!'"

The young girl smiled again, unsure what to say next.

I always love seeing the reaction to people during these random acts of kindness.

Ann laughed, "You sound so diplomatic!" 

"What does that even mean?" I asked. "Is that good or bad?"

"Good!" Ann said. "Well, I guess good. But you kind of sounded like a crazy ex-girlfriend. 'Hi my name is Carol- and you go ahead and tell my ex-boyfriend back there I said HAVE A NICE DAY!"

We started dying laughing.

"Okay, well now I have to sussy someone," Ann said.

(By the way, a sussy is a gift for no reason. Click on the link above to learn more about The Sussy Project).

Guys, that's the best thing about these random acts of kindness- they are contagious!!

We went to Marsh and saw the most ADORABLE little boys selling discount cards and 3-D sports cups to raise money for their basketball team.

A prime target.

"Hi!" Ann said. "What are you selling?"

The little kid went into a huge sales pitch about the cups and discount cards. The other kids next to him would chime in if he forget to mention something or mispoke.

The dad, who reminded me of Jessie from Breaking Bad (aka I had a crush on him), was smiling at Ann and I the entire time.

"Okay, we will come back and get some cups when were are on shopping," Ann said.

We walked away and she said, "There is my sussy. Expensive cups...and I'll give them to...who knows?"

I loved that Ann was inspired to sussy someone- she supported the kids and bought 3-D IU cups.

Also, this was the result of day-drinking.
A 6 p.m. hangover.

Later that night, I went to Starbucks (hoping the caffeine would eliminate my "hangover headache" and planned on buying coffee for the person behind me.

But no one came in, so I didn't have the opportunity to keep spreading the love. Instead, I smiled knowing that my purchase was helping raise money for World AIDS Day, which Starbucks was supporting all day on December 1.

Sussy Saturday was a great success. 

And I'm looking forward to making even more people smile this week.

If you have any good ideas for my charity to support for December, comment below or send me message! As a reminder, I'm donating $26 to a different charity each month.

Go out and make someone smile today.

And everyday. 

Much love,
Ashley

A Year of Random Acts of Kindness: Week 2

"Making a decision to have a child--it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body."
-Elizabeth Stone
 
No, I'm not pregnant (yet!).

However,  becoming a mother is very near and dear to my heart. I honestly can't wait to become a mother. I know being a mother will be a challenging, yet rewarding experience and journey. But I also know how hard families work to grow their family. If only getting pregnant was as easy as "Sixteen and Pregnant" makes it out to be...but I digress.

When I came across a Facebook post from Jordan Rhodes, I knew she was my next "target" for a random act of kindness. Jordan and her husband Klif are currently going through the adoption process. They have a little one of their own, but adopting a child was always part of their master plan together.

The Rhodes Family!

If you or someone you know has ever adopted a child, you know it can be an expensive and emotional process. To cope with the finical implications of adoption, Jordan and her family have been thinking of creative ways to raise money to support their growing family. 

Her most recent project is creating these ADORABLE necklaces designed like a nest.

To symbolize growing their own nest.

I die.
SO. CUTE.
And only $10!!!

Last week, my friend Lindzi Hutton re-posted Jordan's story, and I immediately sent Jordan a Facebook message asking how I could help spread her story + purchase some necklaces! Her response brought tears to my eyes...Jordan's excitement was contagious. And her dedicated to grow her family was inspiring.

I sent her a card that afternoon and ordered four necklaces. I think her story and the necklaces will help me on our own journey as Justin and I continue trying to grow our family. 

Interested to learn more? You're in luck! I had the chance to learn more about Jordan and her family. Read on, my friends!

Ashley: What inspired you to adopt?

Jordan: My husband, Klif, and I have talked about adoption since before we were married.  It has always been a part of our plan.  We have a passion for being around and raising kids and at the same time we know there there are so many kids out there that will never have the opportunity to reach their full potential.  We are also friends with other couples who have adopted over the years.  We've seen both the excitement and the heartbreak the adoption can bring.  After a lot of discussion and prayer, we just knew that adoption was the perfect fit for our family.

Ashley: How has the adoption process been for you? 

Jordan: So far the process for us has been pretty smooth sailing.  Before we started the process, we sat down and talked with a couple who had adopted through our agency. The conversation  really helped us get into the mindset of what we would be expecting and what steps we would be taking.  The application, classes, home study, and biography were all in-depth and time consuming, but nothing we didn't expect.  The hardest park has for sure been the financial aspect.  It's hard to grasp the cost of adoption.  The total out of pocket expenses when we had our son in October 2010 were just over $1,000.  It will cost us somewhere between $20,000-$30,000 to adopt, once all of the expenses are all added up. We have been saving and fundraising non stop for the last 18 months.  It's also emotionally tough since we've gotten to this stage.  We are done with everything and literally just waiting on a call.  We have already been matched up with 2 high-risk birth mothers, both of which fell through.  However, we are doing well at not getting attached before anything is finalized.

Ashley: What gave you the inspiration to design and sell the nest pendants? 

Jordan: I saw the design of the pendants a while back, and they had been on my "to-try" list for quite some time.  I finally got around to it this fall, and the whole bird's nest theme just seemed to fit perfectly with us planning on expanding our "nest".  I have also seen a lot of "buy handmade" sentiment going around this year, and I figured why not give this a shot.  The response has been amazing!

Ashley: What advice do you have for families who are planning to adopt? 

Jordan: Have a plan.  There are many different types of adoptions and there are multiple ways to go about each one!  Not every adoption is the right fit for each family.  Start saving NOW if you think you might adopt.  It is frustratingly expensive.  Most importantly, have patience!  Everything is out of your control, but you will end up with the perfect child for you. Just be prepared to wait!

How You Can Help!!
If Jordan's story touches your heart and you have an extra $10 to spare, please consider purchasing one of these necklaces. Mine are already in the mail, so I'll be happy to model them for you once they arrive!  You can email jordan.w.rhodes@gmail.com for more information / to order. Be sure to check out their Facebook page for pictures and necklace inspiration: www.facebook.com/100Nests. 

Much love,
Ashley

A Year of Random Acts of Kindness: Week 1

For my birthday, I wanted do something special.

Instead, I ended up drinking too much Busch Light and gourmet jello shots.

Let's recap my day...

Bandit giving goodluck kisses during beer pong.
We won 8 games in a row.
And I never want to drink Busch Light again.

Thankfully, The Husband was in a good mood because the Cowboys WON!

Celebration cigar.

I ate buffalo chicken dip, despite my lactose allergy. (And yes, I paid for it).

Team Cheese.

And most importantly, I had a blast with some of my close friends and family!

Loves.

BUT despite my fun-filled day, I did come up with an exciting idea for my 26th year of life!

I thought about riding my bike 26 miles, but my body quickly ruled that out. I will spare the details about why, but if you’re dying to know…just message me. Instead, I opted for a short run with Bandit...the day was simply too beautiful to pass up!

Fall is perfect.

I wanted to decorate for Christmas, but knew I’d have some push back from Justin. So instead, I just went to CVS (yes, the drug store) and picked up some adorable (and affordable) Christmas decorations for our mantel. We will finish the house next weekend!

The most wonderful time of the year!
PS I am obesssseedddd with our new fireplace!

Then, I thought about doing 26 random acts of kindness on my birthday.

I came up with this list:
1.    Donate clothes to Goodwill
2.    Mail letters to friends just to say how much they mean to me / I love them
3.    Buy someone’s Starbucks
4.    Leave a gift card in a book at Barnes & Noble
5.    Bake cookies for the neighbors
6.    Write an appreciation letter to an old teacher
7.    Drop off food and treats for animals at a shelter
8.    Drop off tennis balls at the bark park
9.    Give strangers a compliment
10.    Hold a door open for people and wait for them
11.    Let people merge in front of me and smile
12.    Take water to runners on the Monon Trail
13.    Leave a gas card at the pump station
14.    Leave a GREAT tip for a birthday lunch or breakfast
15.    Tape popcorn to a redbox machine
16.    Leave money in a vending machine
17.    Buy craft beer to support our local brewers
18.    Sign up for a 5K that benefits a charity I am passionate about
19.    Make my husband breakfast in bed
20.    Call my grandma just to chat
21.    Drop off coloring box and crayons to a hospital
22.    Plant a tree
23.    Bake a treat for local policemen
24.    Bake a treat for local firefighters
25.    Donate $26 dollars to a charity that means a lot to me
26.    Donate to a local food pantry

I did a lot of research and read many blog posts about random acts of kindness. I loved all of the ideas, but I was struggling with how to balance all of these acts in one single day.

Wouldn’t it be amazing if I could do something like this every single week?

A whole YEAR of being kind and compassionate, often to complete strangers…it seemed much more powerful and inspirational to make this journey last longer than a single day.

I’ll use my list above as a starting point…and will also donate $26 each month to a different charity. My first donation went to Indy Fire & Rescue to help the victims from the explosion in Greenwood, Indiana. My heart hurt after hearing such tragic news…

My first random act of kindness this week involved me raiding my closet and giving away some nice clothes.

Okay, if you have only worn something once or twice this year…it’s GONE!

I gave up some really nice pieces of clothing, but I simply wasn’t wearing them enough! And it seemed foolish to let the clothes keep collecting dust when someone out there could really use new shirts, dresses, and pants.

Each week, I’ll blog about my random act of kindness. And I would absolutely LOVE it if you guys submitted ideas, charities, and events for me to consider this year.

“I hope you will have a wonderful year, that you'll dream dangerously and outrageously, that you'll make something that didn't exist before you made it, that you will be loved and that you will be liked, and that you will have people to love and to like in return. And, most importantly (because I think there should be more kindness and more wisdom in the world right now), that you will, when you need to be, be wise, and that you will always be kind.”
― Neil Gaiman

Always be kind.

Much love,
Ashley