This morning my alarm went off at 5:40 am and I dragged myself out of bed a few minutes later. I had only gone to bed at 11 pm but I fell asleep within five minutes and slept all night so I felt more or less okay as I got up, dressed, and forced bits of plastic lenses into my eyes. Hayley got up at 6, I took the dog down to pee, and then Hayley and I were off to breakfast club.

It was my first time volunteering for the breakfast club and let me just say right now that although I am not – and likely never will be – a morning person, it felt so good to be there. I loved setting it all up, serving breakfast to the kids, and getting it all cleaned up. Although my own kid goes just because she likes to (and would get a good, healthy breakfast even if the club didn’t exist) there are some kids who really truly need something like this, a government program that provides them with food so that they can go about their day.

All my life I wanted to do something to help people and I never did. I wanted to go to third world countries to build schools and hand out food with the Red Cross or the UNHCR or UNICEF and instead I followed a path that took me away from all of that. More than once I’ve wondered what it would be like to make a difference like that. It’s not a third world country, but knowing that I was helping the quiet kids who don’t get breakfast at home for whatever reason made me feel like I finally stepped up and did what I’ve always wanted to do.

I hate to sound like I’m preaching but honestly, if you have the time and opportunity to volunteer somewhere, I seriously urge you to try it.

(After breakfast club I attended the holiday concert, helped one of the teacher’s aides (a woman that I adore), handed out pizza at lunch since it was pizza day, and delivered bread from our PPO bread drive. I arrived at the school at 6:30 am and left at 2:30. I am exhausted and am unwinding with a glass of Fuzion Alta red wine (delicious and smooth), a bag of chips, and some Criminal Minds re-runs on A&E. Beyond cleaning and purging pre-Christmas explosion around the apartment my main weekend plans involve a bit of sleeping in. Happy Friday!)