32 photographs. That’s how many images it takes to tell the story of Bells’ birthday. Of the 60 images my sister took, there were thirty-two that I couldn’t NOT share. I know. I know I say this same thing every year and I’ll probably say it at every birthday party, every year until my sweet girls grow up and move out. And after that, I’ll probably say it about my grandbabies’ birthdays. But this year, it might actually be true. This was the best birthday ever.
I know I talked a little about it when I shared weekend links last week, but Ella came up with the idea of a “charity birthday” all on her own. It was back in the spring, long before we’d even talked about what to do for her party this year. I picked her up from Gran’s house like any other Tuesday afternoon and she had a sparkle in her eye. She and my mom were snuggled up on the couch together watching the Disney channel and she couldn’t wait to tell me all about this commercial she saw. It was one of those mini-documentaries that they show about exceptional kids in between Mickey Mouse and Victorious. About a little girl who collected shoes for children in a Guatemalan orphanage instead of receiving birthday gifts. The stage was set and she wanted to give away shoes. We’ve talked off and on since then about how to make her birthday mean something and we ultimately decided to make a donation to Sweet Sleep. I had participated in a fundraiser the summer before to benefit them and Ella & I had talked at length about how cool it was to provide beds for children in third world countries. While my children are snuggled together in an antique bed, under covers from Pottery Barn and between thirty dollar stuffed animals and well-loved blankets, there are babies struggling to fall sleep on cold, dirty floors with disease-ridden mosquitos hovering around their faces. It’s hard to reconcile that. Especially when we’re spending, sometimes three-figures, on birthday parties and gift wrap.
I’ll be honest and tell you that I was worried about how the whole “no gifts” thing would go. I was worried that our friends and family wouldn’t honor our wishes. I was worried that people wouldn’t understand our motivations when they got the invitation in the mail and read our expectations. I was worried that they would question whether or not we made this decision on her behalf and forced her to toe the party line. I even selfishly worried that she would have a change of heart, or regret her decision when friends started showing up without brightly wrapped packages under their arms. None of those things happened. Nothing even remotely close. She never even mentioned gifts at her party. People I never expected were mailing us checks. Donations were racking up online from people I haven’t spoken to in years. People were giving way more than they would have considered spending on a birthday gift. We were crying while talking about how proud of her we were. We were checking the totals every night before bed. Watching the numbers climb, dollar by dollar by dollar. The first time she asked how much we had raised (sometime the first week the donation page was open), I told her a little over $100. She asked how many beds that would buy and I told her two. She said, “No. We have to find more money!” Our original goal was to raise $385. I told Josh that whatever wasn’t given at the party we would donate personally to meet the goal. Somewhere in the back of my mind I worried that we wouldn’t reach it. I checked the total one last time before party guests started to arrive and we were well over $400. This morning, the donation page shows $985 and I still have a stack of cash and checks to deliver. I’m amazed. Amazed at what the heart of seven year old can do to the people around her. I’m so proud of her decision to share her good fortune with people she doesn’t even know.
Who knew eating ice cream sundaes on a scorching Sunday afternoon could change the world?
THANK YOU. To my sweet, sweet sister. Who, only 6 weeks postpartum left her baby in the shade with my mother-in-law to document this wonderful afternoon. To my dad, who spent hours on Saturday night pre-scooping five and a half gallons of ice cream for the party. To mom, for bowls and platters and linens and late-night brainstorming sessions and the use of her beautiful home. To my aunt for her massive freezer, because WHERE do you put almost six gallons of ice cream? To my husband, who is a saint and indulges big birthday parties and matching swimsuits and late night rants about solving the world’s water crisis. Who becomes the life-guard while twenty five kids swim and their mommies sit around laughing with each other. And even for laughing at me, when I jump in fully-clothed to rescue Taz after she got in a little over her head. To Madelene, at Sweet Sleep, for helping us set up an amazing donation page and walking us through this wonderful process hand-in-hand. To our dear, sweet friends and family, for supporting such a worthy cause and helping us change the lives of three families in another land. Most of all, thank you to my beautiful, bright, amazing daughter, Ella. Thanks for your generosity and your heart of gold. You make us unbelievably proud.
