Hi Kossacks -
I have been busy getting ready to take my little guy to DC tomorrow and we are so excited we can hardly stand it.
Yesterday he said to me, "Mom, I feel like it's the night before Christmas and the night before we leave for Disney all wrapped up into one!"
And I just wanted to thank you all again for your good wishes to us and let you know that you are FOLDED UP AND READY TO GO with us to DC!
A week or so I wrote about how grateful I was to receive tickets to the Inauguration - which were given to us to recognize the hard work of my 8-year-old boy during the campaign.
A little boy earns ticket to the Inauguration - and a mom is forever grateful
Many of you asked for his picture, and I thought I'd post it here today, before we left with all of you in our pocket. I promised to take you all with us, and we are keeping that promise. I have to say though, that even though I squished the comments down to 8 point type, I still have about 40 pages of comments...We'll read them on the bus.
Anyway, I was thinking that all his buttons could slow down security if he wears them...so I think I'll cover him with stickers this time.
And I also wanted to let you know that we've been thinking about this national day of service, and were lucky enough to find a food drive being sponsored today by a grocery market in the next town. I thought maybe my little boy could supplement that and have a food drive at his elementary school.
I called the store manager and asked if he'd mind if I dropped the food off a little early, since I am pretty busy getting ready for tomorrow. He said no problem. He said that because his store is located next to the area's soup kitchen, the people who come through his doors are those who are really suffering.
So I grabbed a big cardboard box, covered it in foil, and my little guy made a sign for it. I used the template on USASERVICE.org and made a flyer and with just one day's notice, these little elementary school children overwhelmed us with donations. My car was literally packed to the ceiling.
And it was so easy! I am almost embarrassed that it took me so long to do it because it was one of the simplest, easiest things I've ever done.
The school's maintenance man helped me pack the car and we drove the food to the market. Well, the people inside the store saw what we did, and cheerfully unloaded the car for us and patted my son on the head and thanked him.
I mean, what a great experience for him, and me. My little guy saw that those people are struggling, and that he can help and make a positive difference in their lives. I also had him sort out some of his newer toys that are in great shape but that he really doesn't have room for in his toy box, and we delivered those too.
I think we will do this every month now. It is so easy. Cover a box with foil and put it at your job. Make a flyer. Put a box at your child's school. Put it in your business. This is such an easy thing to do. And everyone feels good. The children were a part of this historic day of service, and I made sure that I explained Obama's message of service to country and community in the flyer.
So we're off to DC late tonight, and we'll get there sometime around 8 or 9 tomorrow. You'll all be with us. I promise!