Sketches

While cleaning out boxes in our crawl space, I came across this old sketch book Grandma had given me. I absolutely love these pencil sketches. Joel and I are hoping to frame a couple of them as they are. 

A few of these she did while on Washington Island and include her notes from class...

This last page is my favorite! It is journal-like on her thoughts about a "friend" that was likely in her class. It reminds me so much of conversations we had about friendship leading up to the several years before cancer. She was nothing if not honest about her struggles with her friends. 

To be honest, I bet I have journal entries that resemble these exact thoughts. 

We had so much in common.

Lullo/Paterkiewicz/Carpenter Family Service Project: Feed My Starving Children

Though there was no text to accompany these pictures, I am not sure there should be. They speak for themselves.

And, I may have shed a few tears of joy. What a family we have.

This is what they participated in: http://www.fmsc.org/. I have participated in this in the past and it is a truly life-giving experience.

Burhan's Family Service Project: Kalamazoo Food Drive

In honor of my Grandma Carpenter and her passion for volunteerism, the tradition continues... All across the states, my aunts and uncles and cousins have volunteered in their communities during the holiday season instead of exchanging gifts with each other. Bill, Andrew, Rosie and I were lucky enough to be able to volunteer with our friends and family at the Kalamazoo Food Drive.

Andrew and Rosie were excited to see their cousin, Emily!

How appropriate - Rosie sorting her favorite food!

These guys were fast! Especially Bill and his boxes of beans!

We may have gotten separated a few times among the hundreds of volunteers, but we managed to find each other by the end!

Aunt Marty, Uncle Mark, Walter and Grandmom wrapping things up!

Lullo/McCarty Family Service Project: Cross-Cultural Ministries

As a part of our church small group, Kevin and I have the opportunity to partner with a group called Cross-Cultural Ministries.  As described on their website (http://www.ccmatlanta.org/), "Cross Cultural Ministries operates a non denominational center for children ages 5 to 18 who want to benefit from education and school subject tutoring in a Christian environment, various clubs, and family support."  We don't get to serve with them as often as we would like, so we were thrilled to have the opportunity to help them prepare for Christmas.  On Saturday December 14, Kevin and I spent several hours labeling, sorting, and preparing gifts for the children who participate in CCM's activities.  While we didn't get to see the joy on their faces as they received their gifts, we had a great time being the elves behind the scenes and imagining how loved and cared for they would feel when they received what would likely be the only presents under their trees.  

Dan and Cari Carpenter Family Service Project - The Carpenter Haunted Woods

Dan and I wanted to share our service project for 2013 :)  We help to run our local Superstar Social Club Jr. for elementary kids with special needs.  We hosted the October event at our house, which was The Carpenter Haunted Woods.  We had lots of volunteers come and help make the haunted tour through the woods memorable and fun and then provided hot dogs, S'mores, hay rides (minus the hay) and time to have a good time with peers with and without special needs.  It was our biggest event in 2013, with a total of about 80 people attending (kids+Sr. group+parents and sibs+ volunteers).  Lots of fun! 

Hintz's Family Service Project 2013 - Operation Christmas Child

Boxes for 2 little girls

Nora helping to choose a coloring book

Every Christmas for the last 3 years we have participated in a project
called "Operation Christmas Child." We fill boxes with toys and
toiletries and ship it off to a child in need. It has been an absolute
joy!

This year, Annabelle was at a wonderful age to understand and pick
things out herself. Nora, though she didn't understand, helped make
decisions.

Before leaving for the store, we had Annabelle watch 2 different
videos explaining what it is that we were participating in. She had
also learned a bit about it in Connectionland (her Sunday school). She
was very excited to pick out lots of girly things.

And boy did she. Some little girl is going to have an exploding heart
when she sees all the pink and girly things in her box. The sweetest
thing was when Annabelle insisted that both little girls have a
"blankie".

Picking out a baby to send along

Beauty

Coloring her picture

We came home and packed their boxes to overflowing. The girls then
colored pictures and Annabelle got to fill out a little worksheet with
information about herself to send to her "new friend". We then spent a
short moment praying for each of these little girls. It was an
unbelievably sweet moment.

Packing the boxes

Annabelle's favorites!

Box full of pink

Annabelle's completed picture

Nora's completed picture

Little sweetness praying for her "new friend"

We then chose to donate our shipping fees online so that we could see
where our boxes will end up. I look forward to explaining to the girls
where their boxes went. Annabelle was excited for a little girl who
might not get Christmas presents, to get Christmas presents.

It may not be much, but two little girls the ages of our little girls,
will know that someone in this world cares about them. We will
continue to pray for them this Christmas season. Annabelle may even
receive a letter back from her little girl.

And hopefully our girls, through this and other experiences, will
understand giving and service and humility.

Christmas note

The following is a note that Aunt Laurie found in her stash recently and gave out copies at the mass that was said for Grandma a few weekends ago. It seems that Grandma wrote it after Christmas one year when Jerry and Patrick were little.

____________________________

This business of words whether written or said,
is not very simple and they're stuffed in my head.

If I want them to do a good job and make clear,
our feelings and thoughts for the ones we hold dear.

I'll take time and weigh carefully each one, every word,
and make sure they're the ones that I want to be heard.

"Our Christmas was Great," says this pair of antiques,
this couple of sixties, whose joints always squeak.

Our dreams are much different more different each day,
"you'll know when your older," grown up all the way.

Telephones shared and trying some way,
to bring others home if for only one day.

Boomerangs, beer mugs, and trillions of toy and out in
the snow two rosy cheeked boys.

My annual heart to heart chat with our Chris,
Bob's box of goodies, some cheddar some swiss.

Our guest who's much taller, now looking back,
who must love us a lot cause she always comes back.

A whoop and a holler from the game watching guys,
some singing, some jigging, some tears in our eyes.

And a new Mrs. Santa, charmed the room as she sat,
and Santa got taller instead of more fat.

Vision of sugar plums are no longer needed,
Our Garden of Dreams is now thoroughly weeded.

Thanks for our Christmas, you loved ones where ever,
From a couple old elves who'll love you forever!

Love, Mom + Dad