Service with a Smile

So there are seasons for just about everything in life. I'm not talking about winter, spring, summer, and fall. I'm talking about seasons of life. It's hard, while your kids are really small to do some things that are really GOOD things, it's just not the right season for them. One thing that I've really had to scale back on is service to others in the form of projects. On my own with five tiny littles at my feet or in my arms it makes it nearly impossible to be able to do any kind of work. I LOVE doing service projects, so it's really hard for it not to be in my season of life right now. I look forward to getting the chance to do more later in life, but every now and then I'm able to slip something in that is good for us to do together.
Today my local MOPS group was meeting at our city homeless shelter to decorate for Christmas. When I first heard we were doing it I wanted to go. I LOVE decorating for Christmas. I thought there was no way for me to actually help since they'd be there on a weekday morning, but as I decorated my own home I put anything I thought would be useful for the shelter in a tub.
This morning I loaded the kids into the suburban in their sock feet thinking that I'd run the tub over to the girls who were going to decorate. When I pulled up to the shelter I made a split second decision that I'd get the kids out and we'd help as long as we could, then we'd go. When I told the kids we were getting out they thought I was crazy! They weren't wearing SHOES! I said, "Well, just feel blessed that we have shoes to wear. Some people aren't blessed with shoes!" and we loaded in.
What a blessing to have my littles with me to help. Lulu and Addi did a great job with the decoration of the outside trees. Mia was a hit with everyone throwing out her constant charming smile. Here are some pictures from our day. Enjoy. I'm so blessed with great kids and great friends! Love MOPS mommas!

I had alread put the older kids in the car when we decided to take a group picture and I was NOT going to get them all back out!

Isn't this blue door fantastic. I love the details in old houses!