December 17th: Donate Somewhere
Donating money somewhere has been a tradition we've had since we started doing advent activities, but this is the first year I asked Serenity if she wanted to use her own money to help others. She pored over the catalogs we had, reading them aloud to Donovan. She eventually decided, since we'd given to animals last year, that this year she wanted to donate trees through Heifer International. Donovan piped in that he wanted to give a cow. We headed upstairs to her piggy to see if she had enough to donate trees. This is also the first time we've opened her piggy bank since she was born! She and Donovan had a great time counting out enough quarters until she reached her goal of thirty dollars, half of the cost of the trees. (Daddy and Mama are paying the other half.) We started to put away the rest of the money, and she said, "what about Donovan's request?" I explained that he hadn't had as much time to save money as she had, and he doesn't have a piggy bank of his own yet. She said, "Well, I don't mind if he uses my money!" So we counted out enough money for Donovan to give his cow. (Part of the cow at least =) I'm so proud that she wanted to share her money, both donating it and sharing with Donovan. Next year I need to find a way for her to earn some money so it's even more real to her what she does with it.
The doctor called with news that the hospital has an opening for an induction tomorrow! Yay!!! Baby day!!!! I'm so excited!!! =) Eric's coworkers threw us a wonderful shower today, and when we went out for errands Donovan and Serenity told everyone that we were having a party today and a baby tomorrow. They are excited too! One lady said she wished she could have a baby and then a party. I wonder what she thought when Serenity's advice was, "Well, you just have to get lucky!!!" =) lol =) I'm happily packing a bag and doing a little last minute crazy stuff. I sewed a felt star garland and scrubbed toilets and am finishing up laundry. Hopefully I sleep but right now I'm too excited to consider it.