#IheartOC - Donating to non-profits that are changing lives daily

It’s #iheartoc Giving Day!

It’s the 30 hours of the year where everyone in Orange County donates (at least) $25 to their favorite non-profits! Last year, I shared about why we donated to Safe Families.

Gosh I love Safe Families.

This year, 3 of the 400 non-profits involved are near and dear to our family. Safe Families, Age Well and Arts & Learning Conservatory.

Remember my post about Edith? She is one of the seniors on our Meals on Wheels route. My children have fallen in love with her, and it’s pretty amazing to watch. During last month’s food delivery route Cora Jane suggested we invite Edith to see our friend’s daughter perform in The Lion King with Arts and Learning Conservatory in two weeks.

My mind was racing with all the reasons this wasn’t a good idea: “We’ll have to pick her up and drive all the way to Santa Ana… We have fun with her during 20 minute food drop-offs and quick chats, but 3 hours is a whole other story… She can hardly walk… she shuffles… what if we have to park far away from he theater… It will be too late of a night for her… I mean, she’s 87… and what if people want to hang out afterward and she ruins all the fun.” (Yes, I thought that.)

My gut reaction was to say no. Then I looked at Cora Jane in the rear view mirror and she was glowing. She gets it.
Haven’t we wanted to instill a sense of responsibility to our community?
Haven’t we wanted to empower her in her faith?
Haven’t we wanted her to listen and obey to the prompting of the Holy Spirit?

So I said, “That is a great idea! Let’s invite her on our route today!”

An we did.

Edith was beyond excited as she wrote the details on her calendar!
But she didn’t remember us from our last few visits.
We promised to return the following week with a flyer of information written out clearly.

And we did.

She seemed a little overwhelmed. I was a little worried she wouldn’t remember us when we showed up for the play or that going to the play would be too much for her. We agreed to pick her up right at 6pm.

And we did.

Edith was ready when we arrived to her home, and she remembered us. We drove to Santa Ana and had lovely conversation. I was able to pull up the car right to the front of the theater and drop her off. She loved the musical and only fell asleep half a dozen times. (Hehehehehe.) And she was thrilled to be invited to ice cream with all of us afterward.

We drove her home and as I walked her to the door, she said, “This was wonderful! Thank you, going out with your family made my day… actually it made my week!” She wanted to pay us back for the ticket and for her scoop of ice cream. I assured her, it was quite all right.

And it was alright.

All the reasons I had for not inviting Edith were petty.
Beyond petty, selfish, really.

Often, we think parenting is about big things like using the right discipline tactics, or enrolling in the best schools.
And it can be.
But that’s just a part of a whole.
It’s all that, and it’s reading stories, and eating dinner together, and it’s making mistakes.
As parents, we need to step back and look at the whole… the bigger picture.
Parenting is making room in the small moments, for our small people, to share their small ideas, that may turn into big ideas.

Bringing Edith to this play was a small idea, from a small human, that became one of the most shining moments for our family.

And all because we did.

Meals on Wheels family

And this is why we are involved with Orange County Community Foundation #iheartoc Giving Day.
Because a lot of small donations from folks in Orange County can make a HUGE impact in this community.

#iheartoc OCCF Giving Day 2016

Giving Day started today, April 27th, at 6 am, and ends at noon on April 28th. Please consider donating! You can find all the information at www.iheartoc.org. I bet a non-profit you are already involved with is on the list!

Arts and Learning Conservatory