Food Drive

This Saturday is our stake's "Day of Service" and our contribution to this service is participating in a food drive. Sam is actually heading it up for our ward so we've already been involved in collecting and distributing grocery bags and fliers for members of our ward to pass out, but today was the day we had designated to go door to door inviting our neighbors to donate.

We did a similar service project when we were in Long Beach last year and Reed must have had a really good experience with it because he was very excited to pass out the bags in our neighborhood. I must admit I was dreading it a little. Dragging three kids door to door asking for food donations just wasn't something I was eager to do.

However, when we finally did head out this evening I was surprised at what an enjoyable experience it actually was. (Perfect evening weather did help). I was even more surprised at how involved Reed wanted to be. As we approached the first house I told him that I wanted him to help and that we needed to tell them that we were doing a Food Drive and explain how we needed them to help.  I told him this, not really expecting him to be brave enough to do the talking, but to my surprise he said "I'll just tell them everything I remember and you just tell them the things I forget."

I was still a little worried about how this was going to go down and when the first person opened the door I was even more worried. At first Reed just stood there staring at the woman and then he said with a  shaky little voice, "We are here for a food drive....(long pause and little bit of a deer in the headlights look). "We need you to fill this bag with food and....put in on your porch..... We'll come back on Saturday to get it."  I don't know who was more nervous, Reed or me, but I'm pretty sure I was the only one that felt like they were about to cry. I think it was the combination of being a little nervous myself, wanting him to succeed in his attempt to confidently complete the task, and proud to see that my little boy was growing up in a good way.

Thankfully, the person he spoke to was very nice and even though Reed didn't deliver the information perfectly, she was very kind and told him that she would have food out on the porch. As the woman closed the door, Reed lept from the steps and started towards the next house and, holding his stomach, said, "Whoa...I was kinda nervous." It was just about the sweetest/cutest/funniest thing I have seen in a while. It was great to watch him grow in confidence with each delivery. In fact, I didn't end up having to  pass out a single bag.

When we were just about done, Max, who had been riding in the stroller the whole time, jumped out and said, "I'm brave enough to do one. I didn't get to do any!" I planned to take him up to one of the last homes on our route, but while I got caught up talking to someone along the way Max got away and took matters into his own hands. The next thing I notice is Max flying full speed from one of the nearby houses saying, "I was brave enough! I was brave enough!" When I asked him what he had done he told me had delivered the bag and flyer to the next house. I was more than a little surprised. When I asked him what he told them, he said, "Uhh...food drive....uhhh food drive." Oh..what I wouldn't give to get a recording of exactly went down on that door step. I can only imagine what the people at the door thought with a three year old  passing out flyers and grocery bags and mumbling something about a food drive.  I love those boys and I love to see them excited about doing good things and growing in confidence along the way.