She is Heaven Sent!

I am so thankful for my precious children. They inspire me to be a better person and I have an immensely better life because they are in it.

This year for Kaity's birthday she wanted to do something a little different. She said that because we are so blessed she wanted to do something for someone else. It also went along with our family theme this year of creating magic in our own backyard.

We talked about different ideas - first we had to establish whether she wanted to do something for animals or people. Being the animal lover that she is I felt we had better clarify that. I thought her answer was sweet and profound, "I want to do something for people, because if we take care of the people they can take care of the animals."

She decided her project would be for the Women's Shelter in our town. Her cousin, whose birthday is the day before hers, worked together with her to collect donations for the shelter then we had the party and tied felt blankets for the children at the shelter. We tied a stuffed animal on to each blanket. They looked adorable. Most of all the girls felt really good about their service.

Everyone took home a caterpillar and seeds for plants that feed butterflies so that everyone could make a difference for good in our wonderful world. They also received instructions on how to care for the caterpillar and the butterfly when it emerged from it's chrysalis. It was a fabulous party and everyone left a better person because of the time they spent blessing the lives of others.

"No matter what circumstances you sisters experience, your influence can be marvelously far-reaching. I believe some of you have a tendency to underestimate your profound capacity for blessing the lives of others. More often than not, it is not on the stage with some public pronouncement but in your example of righteousness and the countless gentle acts of love and kindness done so willingly, so often on a one-to-one basis."

--James E. Faust, "You Are All Heaven Sent," Ensign, Nov. 2002, 110