September 7, 2017. We spend the day celebrating and honoring our precious girl. We did some random and some not so random acts of love in her memory. It certainly did not replace having her in my arms but it did bring me joy to know we were sprinkling happiness into other people’s day.

After a good morning workout I dropped my fist act of love close by. Then, I grabbed breakfast and a walk with a God sent best friend. We chased her little one around Crestline Village for a while. The weather was beautiful and you could feel the crisp edge of Fall heading our way. It was the perfect antidote rather than sitting on the couch alone (yes Ryan was home but slept til 11, per usual). One treat was left outside of Crestline Bagel.

I continued to the Botanical Gardens to leave a few love treats there. I  absolutely love our Botanical Gardens and do not go near often enough. It’s almost like I forget how much I love going there until I am back. Thursday the weather was still cool, the roses were blooming and the crowds were light. While walking around I saw a lady who had found one of the treats, it made my heart so happy to see her carrying it.

Downtown Homewood was up next. First I stopped by Little Professor Books store to leave two gift cards tucked beside two books there. I think this was one of my favorite ones I did. It was also fun to try to be sneaky and not let anyone see me leaving them. Cookie Fix was up next. I am thankful for the ladies there that happily (and selectively) gave 6 cookies and cards out to people who really looked like they needed a pick me up.

I, also, visited a sweet friend and gave her a love treat to honor her angel baby, one of my favorite and most meaningful gifts. She is also an answered prayer and looking back it’s so amazing how people are brought into your lives just when you need them. Or maybe at the time you don’t realize why but soon enough it becomes all to apparent.

I then picked up our cake from Savage’s Bakery. I say a cake similar on there Facebook page and knew we needed one for Squirt’s Celebration Day. Dogwoods were some of my Papa’s favorite, I forever will think of him when I see a Dogwood in bloom. The week we lost Squirt our Dogwood tree in our front yard was blooming as well. So now these things are intertwined in my mind.

Ryan called while I was out so I headed home. We got ready for lunch where we met another friend and her cutie pie. All the friends rallying like I would have never dreamed before this year. We ate cheesy fries. Dropped another love treat off at a special friend’s house. We played and talked for a bit before they had to head home. Ryan and I then settled in for a nap on a emotionally exhausting day. We watched a bit of our new binge, New Girl, before heading to dinner. We had to meet someone to sell our football tickets so we did that and left a small treat in a buggy at Target.

We ate dinner at Mugshots and left a small treat for our waitress. We also left a few treats in Homewood Central Park. We headed home for a little more tv and bed.

I tried my best to support local, small business by using their goods to leave as treats around town. Apart from a few e-gift cards sent to Lovies far away I was able to support local business as I love to do.

I enjoyed this so much this year and feel it was the perfect way to celebrate and the perfect way to heal our sadness is to spread joy and love to others. I plan to do this every year on September 7th as a way to remember and honor our precious first. If you would like to join me next year by preforming an act of love in her honor please email me and I will send you a small card to pass along with your act of love that explains what the treat is about. It can be as random as paying for the cars food behind you in the drive thru, leaving a treat in a park, or as thoughtful as gifting something to a friend that has gotten you through a tough time or a family that has also lost a little one.

I pray it touched the hearts of everyone who found one and hopefully they reached the people that needed some heart, healing balm the most on Thursday. If you found one and found your way to my through social media, please send me an email or tag me on social media if you feel like it. I can not wait to continue this throughout the years to come and hopefully hear stories of how they reached and brightened someone’s day when they needed it.

Thanks MC for the beautiful flowers, fun vase and cake. I can not wait to reuse the fun vase with some Pepperplace flowers. Seriously, there are no words for how much you mean to me. Thank you K for driving a couple of hours to spend some time with us. Thank you to my North Carolina family for the beautiful flower arrangement. I can not get over how gorgeous it is. I want to give the florist a key to my house and unlimited funds to just keep them fresh and beautiful indefinitely. Thanks to everyone else for your kind words and thoughts. There are literally too many to name individually here. Thanks to everyone who spent time with us Thursday, called, texted and sent us love and support. Again, I am overwhelmed with the amount of love we received this year. I am continuously reminded how important and meaningful being surrounded by people who love and support you truly is.

It was a lovely day celebration our girl. It was hard at times but we made it through with the love as support of our family and friends.  I knew the best way for us to honor and celebrate Riley Kate was to spread love into other people’s lives just as she brought us so much love into ours.