Thursday, March 3rd, 2011
I knew I would hear from recipient #3 – and I did, the very day she got the note.
I’ve been mulling over who to write for note #4. I have a few options… but not sure what I would say exactly, so I haven’t written it yet.
Also, life has been busy. The Boy is going to the last of his college visits in the next few weeks and then he decides where to go. Except, he has already basically decided (we think). The school he is most in love with accepted him last week, so he is all set -in his mind, anyway- to go there. It is, of course, the most expensive and the furthest away from home. The Hubby and I are struggling with his choice. We want him to be happy and get the most out of his college years, but he will come out of school with such debt that is seems overwhelming.
And The Hubby has been traveling. A LOT. Like, out of the last 30 days, he has been home for 10 or so of them. He always has a lot of travel the first quarter of the year, but he’s been warning me that it could last well into the second quarter as well. But, he is happy and busy and happy and productive and happy…. so that is what matters most. I miss him when he is gone, but it just makes me appreciate him more when he is home.
Posted in Note of Kindness, The Boy, The Hubby | Comments Off on I knew I would
Monday, February 28th, 2011
Well, I am happy to say… I got some feedback on Note of Kindness #2. I saw the recipient on Sunday, and she said,” thanks, that was exactly what I needed last week”! Awesome, right?
And I am proud to say I actually mailed Note #3 on Saturday night, so it is on its’ way as well.
I am not so proud to say I had a great idea for a post while I was dozing this morning and I have now totally forgotten what it was. Except I know it was awesome.
Posted in Note of Kindness | Comments Off on Progress Report
Friday, February 25th, 2011
Ok, I think it’s time to give up on the weekly note. It’s just not happening. But I still like the idea, so instead of rigidly holding myself to one note a week month year…well, whatever… I will write the notes when I can and just number them.
Plus, I am excited to announce that the lucky recipients of my notes will no longer have to decipher my handwriting! Taking a page from The Hubby, I am printing them using the printer. Revolutionary, right? And, to encourage the just “get it done” mentality I am going for, I purchased stamps so I have stamps to just put right on the envelope. Again – just a revolutionary idea that I would recommend to everyone who is doing this project with me. {Because all of my legions of followers are doing this too, right? Wait, what do you mean, no one is following me? Crap.}
So, I did actually mail note #2 early this week and here is note #3:
XXX,
I wanted to write a real note – not an email or Facebook post – to say a “Thank You” for being a great friend to me. I know it seems harder for us to connect since you have moved out of town, but I want you to know that I appreciate your presence in my life (even if our actual visits don’t happen as much as they used to!). You are the type of friend where either of us can call or drop in and there’s no awkwardness or “being polite” – there is just a comfortableness that true friendship encourages and supports.
Thanks for being such a great friend!
Posted in Note of Kindness | Comments Off on Note of Kindness #3
Sunday, January 30th, 2011
No matter what I might seem like tonight, it’s still the same old me from yesterday you wind up with tomorrow. – Kate, in French Kiss.
Yes, it is the same old me, as well…. procrastinator extraordinaire.
I did send out my first note (after the revision).
I have not sent out my second note.
On the bright side, I have thought of THREE people to write notes to.
But on the other hand, I still haven’t written them.
This is certainly turning out to be a challenge.
This time, I am blaming the SNOW. Yes, folks, I will be blaming an inanimate object for my lack of focus and lack of getting things done. There has been ENTIRELY too much snow to deal with here in the northeast. And The Hubby has (conveniently) been away on business. On the West Coast. You know, where there is sunshine and temperatures over 50 degrees.
So I have been home to worry about The Boy, obsess over the amount of snow in the driveway, create a pathway for the doggies to take care of business, remove all the snow from the decks, and generally go snow crazy. Writing letters of random kindness just could not stay in my brain with all that other noise.
But now, the snow is cleared from the decks, The Boy can drive the roadways in relative safety, the doggies are not making messes in the house… but I am still a little snow crazy. So, here is my attempt at Note #2, Week 5:
Dear XXX:
I wanted to drop a little “thank you ” note for your great outlook. You always add light to a room and laughter to a conversation. I imagine it’s been a bit tough over the last year or so – with your son going off to college and your husband’s back and forth on the night shift – but I think you’ve handled it well (or at least, it looks like you are, which is sometimes just as good!).
I hope all goes well for you and your family in the coming year!
Your friend,
Faith
What do you think?
Posted in Note of Kindness | Comments Off on Random Letter of Kindness – Week 5
Sunday, January 16th, 2011
For anyone paying attention, I skipped Week 2. Did you notice?
I was hit with some issues in Week 2.
#1 – I started to remember that the person for Week 1 already had older kids, and maybe my advice was unneeded. I checked around, and yup, sure enough, she does have older children. So now I’m thinking I have to re-write Week 1’s note.
#2 – It’s a bit scary to start. I mean, it shouldn’t be hard to say something encouraging to someone, but somehow putting it in writing is making it more difficult. The other side of the coin, I guess (I hope, anyway), is that a written note will mean more than just a “good job” kind of a comment in passing.
#3 – In my procrastination, I ended up with a serious road block when my computer died. Yup, the night of the BIG snowstorm here in the Northeast, it took a dive into the Blue Screen of Death. So, after spending a day trying to diagnose it, it turned out I needed to re-install the operating system. Re-installing an operating system takes disks, and who do you think had disks??? Nope, not me! So we ordered them. They came the next day, which was great, but then I had to install (actually, The Hubby did this part) the OS. Then the programs. Then start the Carbonite backup process. Then wait 40 hours. Seriously – it took DAYS to get this done. I have too much crap on my system, I know…. Then, I had to find my Firefox profile so I could get all my bookmarks back (man, is it hard to live without my bookmarks!). Then, I could finally get on here and write all my excuses reasons for the delay. (I know you were all waiting with bated breath on how this all went – did my recipient like my note – or even acknowledge it? OMG, the waiting is killing us both!)
So, issue one: I have to re-write week one.
Next issue: who do I write to next? I am stumped.
But, while I am thinking about that, here is Week One, Revised:
I wanted to let you know know that I think you are doing a great thing by adopting XXX. I had always heard that God gave us babies so we could grow into being parents and I found that true enough with The Boy. To take in a teenager is a big task, but one I think you and XXX are up for it.
Usually friends and family throw a baby shower and give the new parents advice with their various baby paraphernalia. I always chime in with the classic “Sleep when the baby sleeps”. But, with a teenager, that would mean you’d stay up til midnight and sleep in until noon if you could! So, maybe some better advice (if you want it) is to find yourself a support group – whether that’s a formal group of foster parents, an online group, or just a bunch of friends you can count on. Make sure you take time for yourself – whether it’s a coffee at Starbucks or a half hour walk around the block to help clear your mind.
There may be days you feel like you were crazy for doing it, but the rewards will overshadow any of those days when you look back on them.
Ok – so now I have to re-write the note and get the damn stamp on it and MAIL it tomorrow!! (at least I do have the stamps in my purse – no procrastination there!!)
Posted in Note of Kindness | Comments Off on Random Note of Kindness – Week 3
Monday, January 3rd, 2011
I’ve decided to try something new for this year – write one notecard a week to someone I know who needs a little boost or I need to thank for something or just maybe someone I haven’t talked to in awhile. I am hoping that by posting them here, it will keep me motivated to keep it up all year.
Random Note of Kindness – Week 1:
Dear XXX:
I wanted to let you know know that I think you are doing a great thing by adopting XXX. I had always heard that God gave us babies so we could grow into being parents and I found that true enough with The Boy. To take in a teenager is a big task, but one I think you and XXX are up for it.
There may be days you feel like you were crazy for doing it, but the rewards of parenting overshadow any of those days when you look back on them.
Usually friends and family throw a baby shower and give the new parents advice with their various baby paraphernalia. I always chime in with the classic “Sleep when the baby sleeps”. But, with a teenager, that would mean you’d stay up til midnight and sleep in until noon if you could! So, maybe some better advice (if you want it) is to learn to listen to him- to give him time and opportunity to talk about himself, his dreams, his problems. If he has a safe place to talk about what is going on, then you have a way to stay connected and truly be the parents you want to be.
Posted in Note of Kindness | Comments Off on Random Note of Kindness – Week 1