Shop with Docs

We got word Friday afternoon that volunteers were needed as personal shoppers for the following morning.  A group of doctors donated money to the Lighthouse kids (50 children to be exact), and we were to help them shop. 

It was real sweet, the kids had no idea they were going to target, and had no idea they were going to be given $350 each to spend. 

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There were some guidelines: $125 was to be spent on clothes and necessities, $125 on toys and $70 on a gift(s) for people in their family. 

I was excited to be a part of this! Sometimes I get a little teary about things like this--I'm a cryer. I just knew I was going to boo-hoo the whole time, which I did NOT.  Probably because the kid I was paired with continued to tell me how "bored" he was, and how he "wanted to go HOME!" I tried every angle to get him involved and make the day special, but he just wasn't having it. He was just a little turd. Such a bummer.

Jason on the other hand, had the cutest, roundest, funniest, most appreciative little boy EVER. They had so much fun together. 

Meet Darrel:

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This kid was loads of fun. He told Jason he wanted to go to the clothes department first. HA. Not Jason's favorite department. Luckily, my mother showed up and helped fit both of our little boys with new threads. :) She was great! She just showed up out of no where and we were so thankful for her help!

Staying within the budget was up to us. They gave us a little notepad and pen and we just had to wing it. I ended up forking over an extra 40 bones for my kiddo, but Jason did really well. He came in under budget. Check out his note taking skills:

Towards the end, we were in the men's underwear department looking for my kids dad a gift (slippers, scarf--not underwear), when Jason's kid pops up out of the clothing rack waiving around some men's Superman bikini underwear, yelling "oooo oooo my daddy say he neeeed these! he want 'em reaaal baaad!" I'm talking blue underwear, with red trim, and the superman emblem on the crotch. The real deal, y'all! At one point he was holding a pink wallet for his 'mommaaa' under his arm and waving the superman underwear around. Funniest sight ever.  Unfortunately, Jason didn't feel they had room in their budget for them. 

Cut to the check out line. Who comes up $15 under budget? DARREL. And what does Darrel want to do with that extra $15? HE WANTS TO BUY HIS DADDY SOME SUPERMAN UNDERWEAR! The funniest thing ever! Greatest kid ever. 

It was a real fun morning. I think I got teary once. Okay twice. Once at the beginning when they got there and were told--they were so excited. The second was at the end. There was this sweet kid who had one bag and one box--as opposed to the other kids around him who had multiple bags and bikes and scooters and other ridiculous loot.  

He was soooo proud of his box. 

He picked out a Christmas tree. I'm telling you I nearly lost it. Ohmygosh. I mean really. Of all the other junk he could have gotten--he gets a freaking Christmas tree! So sweet. So sad. So happy. So proud.  I don't know. I just lost it. I think about how freaking excited I get around Thanksgiving, knowing I'm getting a tree...I have never ever, ever known a Christmas without a Christmas tree. 

Such an awesome way to celebrate the holiday season!