The Love Dare Day 8

The Love Dare

Day 8

"Love is as strong as death; it's jealousy as unyielding as the grave.  It burns like blazing fire."  Song of Solomon 8:6

I am so thankful that Tausha put together this challenge and is allowing me to participate.  I think this is a particularly difficult challenge because you have to come clean about  your own shortcomings.  No one wants to admit to being jealous!  So...here goes!

I love my husband to pieces.  He is my best friend, my lover, my soul mate.  In a week we will celebrate 20 years of marriage. 

 Almost half of my life I've been married!  We've had some amazing highs, and some really challenging lows.  Each one of our children has been a blessing to us.  Finding out that our youngest son was going to be born with a disability we knew nothing about was frightening and really one of the hardest things we have ever faced as parents.  It also made us stronger.  Strong enough to adopt little Ms. Sofi.  Our family now consists of five boys and one girl.  Two of these sweet kiddos has extras.  As a stay at home mom, there are times I sit at home, after changing what feels like the thirtieth diaper of the day, not having showered or looking glamorous for what feels like years, and I can't muster the enthusiasm to praise my husband for something he's done at work.  As a matter of fact, I am guilty of not wanting to hear about his day; of being jealous of the yummy lunch he ate in his meeting or the tickets he received to watch a game with one of the boys.  For a long time, I never understood the need to spend two hours in the ocean surfing...I was jealous of that time he spent away from me.  

Let's face it, relationships take work.  If you are not careful, envy and jealousy can destroy love.  Part of the reason that I wanted to join in the Love Dare is so I can put my relationship with Stuart first, before anything.  Our marriage is so important to me, eternally so.  It's time that I help US find US and strengthen that bond.  

Day 8 dare is to be your spouse's biggest fan!  Reject any thoughts of jealousy. To help you set your heart on your spouse and focus on their achievements take yesterdays list of negative attributes and discreetly burn it.  Then share with your partner how proud you are of a success or blessing he/she recently enjoyed. 

 LOVE is the most important thing in the world.    

Be the Change

Dear Life,

Now that we've talked about Spreading Sunshine (See post before this one), lets talk about Being the Change.

This summer, we attended a skate event called "Skate for a Cause" hosted by The Sheckler Foundation.  We were there to support our friend Madison with Peach's Neet Feet.

 It was so exciting to see so many skaters out there having fun doing what they do and raising money to help organizations like Peach's Neet Feet dream bigger and do more in the communities they serve.

The next day our family was able to be there to support a few of our friends when they received their new Peach's Neet Feet shoes delivered by some of the skaters on the board of The Sheckler Foundation.  It was beautiful to see our new friends meet these skate legends and get to spend some time with them.  

A few of the kids, Kumaka included, was able to skate that day.  There are a few pictures that I want to share because I was really touched by the symbolism of the moment.  

In this series of pictures you will see some things.

A professional skater.
A boy in a wheelchair.
A father.
A large ramp.

What do you see?

A professional skater?

A father?

A boy in a wheelchair?

A large ramp?

I saw all of those things too.

This is what else I saw.

A father trusting that young man up there to catch his son.

A boy in a wheelchair wanting to skate like every other kid.

A professional skater reaching out to that boy and giving him a hand.

In one arm, Ryan was holding one of my biggest treasures, the other he held his wheelchair.

He settled him in, gave him some tips and off Kumaka went.  

He made it down that ramp.

And Ryan Sheckler was the change. 

I'm not sure that Ryan realizes how symbolic this series of pictures is.

I'm not sure he realizes that THIS is how you "Be The Change".

Physically changing something for the better.  

Kumaka had a wonderful time that day.

Not because he was hanging out with Ryan Sheckler.

But because a skater took the time to reach up his hand and help him out.  

Please take the time to visit The Sheckler Foundation website and support their mission.  They are doing amazing things in the community.

Spreading Sunshine

Dear Life,

How do you try to change the world?  
How do you spread sunshine?
How do you show kindness?

Because of a pair of shoes, a hand painted pair of shoes that Kumaka was given, we met a beautiful soul.  
Her name is Madison. 
We call her Peach. 

Photo cred by Susan Posterro

Our family has known her for a little over a year, but it really feels like we have been family forever. Madison is the president of a beautiful non profit called Peach's Neet Feet. 

"Madison's mission is to create a movement of Pay it Forward initiatives and selfless acts of giving.  She uses art to create custom, hand-painted shoes to celebrate children who are fighting cancer and living with disabilities." 


Through Madison, our family has grown; our outlook on life, on others, has changed.  We have new layers, new fibers to add to the ones that we weaved already.  We have met so many amazing families.  Families with varying backgrounds, dealing with different stories.  And yet we are all dealing with something in common- our warrior children.  These other stories are now woven into our hearts, and we are truly blessed for it.  Every day, we look for ways to touch others hearts, to sprinkle a bit of sunshine towards someone else, to show love, to share a Random Act of Kindness.   

Please,  take the time to visit the Peach's Neet Feet website. Read about this amazing young girl.  Read about the children she has helped, about the families that have been touched, lifted up because of her passion.  

Then think, what have you done to share kindness today?