Random Acts of Kindness

I just absolutely love this photo.  At first blush, it looks like she made out like a bandit with Easter baskets.  But the truth behind the photo just makes me so proud...

Alanna had another follow-up appointment scheduled for the week of Easter and the week prior to her appointment she told me that she wanted to make Easter baskets and take them with her to the Children's Hospital for children that may be having surgery over Easter or have to stay in the hospital rather than being home.  She never ceases to amaze me with her kind heart.  I told her I thought it was a wonderful idea and that we could certainly go shopping to get things for Easter baskets.  She picked out all kinds of goodies and was grinning ear to ear when they were put together.  She's wearing her Daisy Girl Scout vest because we thought it was also a great opportunity for her to earn her caring and considerate petal.

She was so excited to deliver the baskets and practically bounced in to her appointment.  

On the way home we saw a man holding a cardboard sign.  Now that Alanna is beginning to read, she saw the word "hungry" on the sign and asked me why he was holding it up.  I read the sign to her and she immediately responded with concern, "Mommy, can we give him the strawberries you bought at Costco?"  There was a container in the car from when I'd run an errand at lunch.  My heart broke as I had to explain to my caring little girl that I couldn't stop the car but that we would continue to help by giving to food shelves and helping where we could.  

She wanted to know other ways we could help so the following day we learned about Random Acts of Kindness and took chocolate bunnies to the firemen at the firestation near our home as well as handed out a plethora of bunnies at the Post Office.  The lady at the Post Office behind the counter said she never knew the Easter bunny was blonde with piggy tails!  

Afterwards, we reviewed what random acts of kindness are and I asked Alanna what her favorite part was.  Her reply?

"Seeing people smile."