put your hands together

One of the things we try to instill in our children is the understanding that more hands make less work, and if we all contribute, even just a little, the next generation (or even a whole society) can do wonders and make great monumental changes.

My husband is one of the board of directors at our children's school.  They are trying to raise money to build a new building, to provide a facility that will meet the educational demands of our children today, and many generations to come.

It is hard work.  Long hours, conflicting personalities, administrative frustrations...all things that naturally derive from a passion for something much bigger than all of us.

And I'll admit it.  Sometimes I wish he could pull back a little, as it can be at times, overwhelming for him to balance a high stress career, home, school and just life!  However, he pushes forward because fundamentally he always wants to lend a hand.  And I appreciate and love him not just because he is doing good for the community, but our children have a first hand look at an amazing role model.  

Someone with kindness, generosity, and community spirit, that will help and inspire others to do the same.  A legacy of not just being a contributor to building a monument for the future, but an inspiration to those around him...to inspire others to lend a hand. 

Our son's class had created sand prints for Mother's Day last year.  To represent both kids,
we created a clay print of our daughter's hand, placed both hand prints in individual shadow boxes,
and showcased them as art with "plaques" underneath (printed date and ages of our kids, on business cards).

Forever Hand Print

(recipe from Kaboose.com)

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup salt
• 1 cup of water (if you'd like colour to your clay hand, add food colouring to the water)

Preparation

• Mix flour and salt. 
• Slowly add water to get a firm clay-like mixture.
• Create a ball with the dough and press it into a circular shape (or use a rolling pin) on wax paper (the dough should be approx. 1/2 inch thick and large enough to fit a child's hand or foot.
• Push child's hand or foot firmly into dough.
• Let dough dry for several weeks or put in oven at 225 degrees for 2 to 4 hours, depending on the thickness of the dough.

Paint or keep it as it is, as a keepsake of a moment in time.

{Editor's note: Happy Birthday Dude...we love you lots!!!}