A Weekend to remember...

We spent last weekend in SLC with our friends...

First it was the lights @ Temple Square...  The weather cooperated nicely...  And made walking around quite enjoyable.

Then we were off to our hotel...  the kids were so excited to be going to a hotel with a "water slide" in it.  It was fun... Jadyn was completely content playing in the shallow water with the small slides all by herself.  The older kids went down the slide again and again... and even all the adults went (minus Lisa :))

Of course there was a lot of fun and a lot of laughing.  And we got some Christmas shopping in too.  But the main purpose of our trip was to go volunteer here...

We dropped our little ones off at some friends and went to the "Christmas Box House."  Bearing gifts and our time.

We gained much more than those sweet kids that day...

We brought crafts to do with them...

Stories to read...

Games to play...

But it was heartbreaking...

Every once in a while I had to act busy in the corner so that I would stop getting emotional... and I wasn't the only one.

There were 5 boys between the ages of 10-11... who have seen more in their short lives than anyone should have to.  And although completely upbeat and willing to participate and play and laugh and act like kids with us... they just weren't.

Every once in a while they talked about "DT" (Detention) like it was something everyone went to.  One had been there several times for burglary, drug paraphernalia etc. etc.  They mentioned how one of their mom's hadn't been there at all to see them.  One said that his 16 year old brother was "on the Run" and had been to DT more time than you could count.  Some told about how their social worker had found them a foster home to go to.  And then when we tried to stay positive and say, "that's good isn't it."  They told us, "no, not really it's not as easy as you think, you guys just don't know, and we won't be with our mom."  It didn't REALLY matter what their parents had done, they all wanted to be with them.

They were the type of boys that would drive you crazy...

The kind that if we hadn't been in that situation I wouldn't want my kids hanging out with.

But they were kids who couldn't be kids... who act out... to get the attention that they aren't getting...  who are growing up in unsafe environments... who can blame them???

It opened all of our eyes, especially my girls, they were able to see that sometimes kids have a REALLY hard draw.  And that life isn't fair.  And it put all of our "problems" in perspective.

I spent most of my time with two little 3 year olds.  A boy and a girl.  I could have snatched that cute little 3 year-old "Bella" up and taken her home with us.  She was polite, eager, sweet, happy... and when she would grab my hand and want to run with me to show me this or that... I melted.

We left wishing we could do more...

that we had brought more.

We had Christmas shopping to do... and I thought a lot about how much we have.  And how carefree our lives really are compared to those sweet kids.

It was an experience that I and all of us will cherish.  This Christmas my older girls really "Get It".  They don't seem to care at all what they are getting.  They have tender hearts and the other night after we read a sweet story, "A Cardboard Christmas."  Saige broke down and told us about someone who she thought needed help.  And so a little project was formed.  She told me the other day, "I think this is the Christmas that I will remember forever!"  And I think she and all of us will, and it won't be because of the gifts we receive. :)