A Kid's LIFE

04/30/2026

How about I tell you some of the ways that YOU have made a difference for folks over the years?

It happened like this…

Last fall, we received a pair of boy’s sweatpants, size 16. They were nice, thick, and big. We don’t receive nearly as much in the bigger sizes, especially size 16.

A month passed, and we still had them. Six weeks passed, and we still had them. Then it came to the January days of temperatures in the teens.

There was this day, this super cold day, that I noticed a man walking slowly along the sidewalk in front of our shop. He was clearly in need. The temperatures were barely out of the teens that morning. His pants were old, thin, and inches too short with a pin pulling in the waist to hold them up on his thin frame.

I scooted out the door to greet him and asked if he was okay, and did he need anything. He was hungry, and all I had was popcorn, but that seemed to be enough for him to be all smiles. And then, I remembered. “Wait,” I said, “I have something for you.” Back inside, I grabbed the sweatpants and ran back out. Trying to show all the respect he deserved, I asked if he would like to have them. He broke out with another big smile and held on to them.

A few days later, I noticed him on the sidewalk again walking by. I went out to say hello and to check on him. He was wearing the sweatpants. We chatted some, I told him I was glad they fit, and he held out his arms, smiling, as if to model them. Can you imagine sweatpants being the kind of gift that makes a person feel special and cared for?

Here’s what I want you to know — I didn’t do that alone. *We worked together - *you whoever gave the sweatpants, *you are the reason that man was more shielded from the cold that day, felt less lonely, and unexpectedly cared for. My hands would have been empty without you bringing us what you had so we could provide for another.

It’s not always all about the cute little treasures, the Boden and the hand-smocked rompers, the sports brands that are cool, and the toys that look brand new - and oh! how I love filling our shop with all of those things! But it’s more than that.

Sometimes the days in our shop bring us face to face with new ways to make a difference, the times when we get to do the extra special things that don’t have anything to do with name brands and good prices.

And, you are the reason why.

Thank you, thank you, and thank you for being there for us, as we merely pass on the kindness that you show us.

Blessings to you, our friends.
Because together is better.
💗

04/29/2026

As promised, here is an update. 🙂

The shop has now been fully emptied, everything taken into storage, and the floor is currently getting the necessary attention to resolve the problems.

There’s been a lot of organizing, packing up, lifting this and that, moving things here and there, doing all the necessary things in order to get to the next necessary thing, and so on.

Last week, I was pretty tired, but as is my habit, I push on, because if I don’t, enough things just don’t get done, and time isn’t waiting.

I didn’t see the 4 inch step down, and with arms full to my chin, my right foot rolled, and down I went. Long story short, I have now added one more dimension to this crazy adventure we’ve been on for the last few months. I broke the 5th metatarsal bone in my right foot (that’s the side bone). I share this not so you’ll feel sorry for me - though even I feel sorry for me 😂 - but to ask for your patience and your prayers in this process. Crutches are *not my friend, but I’m trying to love them anyway. 🙃

This whole saga since Feb 6, has sure been leaving me with some real questions especially after the latest… Will I keep on keeping on? Am I willing to depend on others to help me?? Is this little shop something good enough to do whatever it asks of me so it can in time grow to become a bright light in our community that makes a real difference???

The tune to an old song has been running through my mind today while I sit here looking up pricing… 1987 — (when I was very pregnant with my Jenny, my 3rd little girl)— 🎶 Nothing’s Gonna to Stop Us Now 🎶 so I’m singing along… And we can build this dream together, standing strong forever, nothing’s gonna stop us now 🎶

Many years ago, I studied a poem, No Man Is an Island, by John Donne, and I still think about it in the times that land harder on my heart. What’s true is we need each other to do the things that will reach beyond ourselves. This little shop has grown, and it needs more than what I can give it to stay around… seems this is becoming a central theme to what God is teaching me through these hard times - that it’s not only okay to need one another, it’s the better way of doing things. We can build a greater reach when we come alongside each other.

No man is an island,
Entire of itself;
Every man is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.

If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less,
As well as if a promontory were:
As well as if a manor of thy friend's
Or of thine own were.

Any man's death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.

~~ Until next time,
With God’s help,
Together. We. Will. Do. This.
Appreciating you,
❤️ ~ lynn

04/16/2026

☀️A warm and long awaited hello to all of you☀️

💕 Our customers 💕our friends 💕 and to all we wait to meet 💕 on a day soon to come.

It may appear that I’ve been hiding under a rock… 🪨… I promise I haven’t. But I have been in an extra hard place lately.

To say that the last 2 months have been challenging would be putting it mildly. Do you know what it feels like to search for your footing on ground that doesn’t stop moving? 🙏🏼

If you haven’t heard it before now, here is a quick replay —

On February 6, two months ago about 11:00 in the morning, an elderly man mistakenly put his vehicle in reverse when he finished up at the bank’s teller window across the parking lot from our shop. And out of no where at full speed, his car surprised us all and plowed into the door frame of our neighboring business, only inches away from us. Thankfully, his car at that point was divinely horizontal and became wedged and stopped within the metal door frame, or we would have had a terrible tragedy of lost lives… *no one was hurt, no one was in his path.

The corner of his car clipped a concrete column in front of our shop, which sent concrete through our plate glass window shattering glass over all of our inventory throughout the shop, from the front to the back.

As the dust has settled, and I’ve gotten a full picture of what it all has meant, here is where we stand —

• 99% of our inventory on the floor was deemed a loss. All of that had to be bagged up, hangers organized, tied up, and bagged, details of how, when, where have been a part of every day.

• We were set to install new carpet at the end of March, however, when the carpet installers began to remove the current carpet and flooring underneath, we ran into problems. Sparing you the details, work must be done on the floor before we can get the new carpet down. We will have the flooring problems taken care of professionally in the weeks to come.

• Currently we are packing up everything remaining in the shop (our displays, shelving, tens of thousands of hangers and supplies, along with everything still in our back rooms) in order to prepare for the flooring work. It all has to go into storage for now, so I’ve rented some storage units to hold it all. We’ll get a moving truck in the next week along with some muscle strength to do the move.

• After the flooring issues are remedied, the new carpet will go down, and only then can we begin to organize and set up the shop with fresh inventory for you all… and I’m even wondering if you, our dear customers, will even need summer clothing by then?? We’ll decide this when we have more of an idea of when we can move back in. I’m hoping for the summer, but impossible to say just yet. Please stay tuned.

• I am concerned about needing inventory, if I can be honest on this. Our biggest times of receiving inventory during the year is when you mamas are going through your children’s clothes when seasons change. And we missed this time from winter to spring. We missed you packing up your winter clothes that you know won’t fit next year and bringing them to us. And we missed all the summer clothes that you knew would not fit when you began to go through your children’s clothes for this coming season. 
But… I have to remind myself… You all have *always been there for us - so we then can be there for others. And I cannot worry about what I do not have any control of. Don’t we all try to tell ourselves this about everything in life?? And yes, I have to remind myself of this throughout the day, every day. In the midst of God’s faithfulness, I’m always learning and growing.

• I promise to do better - To get on this page and keep you updated. In these two months, I have struggled with even knowing what to think and what to share. I’ll put my head down and push through, then another obstacle stands tall and stops me. I asked many times… “God, are you finished with the store, is it time to just close it?” The work to reopen has been a mountain that I could not see over.. but the peace I have felt has always been found when I’m working hard to reopen. I never got peace when I stopped and felt overwhelmed, though that was always when the questions came.

• And so, here we are today… and I want you to know that we are working hard to become an even better shop, to give you a more lovely place to find quality clothing and toys for your children!

• On the positive… Yes, the shop is getting a facelift! (wish I could say the same 😂 ) I plan to relocate our checkout counter, our work space, the racks, shelving, and sizes will be switched up for easier shopping. And new carpet! Do you remember that long runner that I kept in front of the checkout counter?? … that was only there to hide a really big spot from lots of mud that had fallen from a precious little boy’s shoes one day. And now, we won’t have a spot to hide 💃🏻 🙂 !

• If you have prayed for us, thank you, God hears and sees, and He is guiding each day! If you have not forgotten about us, thank you, because we have not forgotten you! If you have missed us, please know that we have missed you even more!

• One last thing… Romans 8:28
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to his purpose."

• Sending loving thoughts of thankfulness for you, our dear customers and supporters of this deep down hope and dream - to host a place that blesses and meets the needs of our community and beyond.
Please take care, and remember to love the ones you love very very well.
~ lynn

❣️Together, we will make a difference❣️

02/13/2026

💓 Talking to your hearts this morning 💓

Sometimes I need to look into the faces of those I love to find the strength and determination to keep doing the necessary.

This last week has really been a challenge for me.
It appears we are losing the majority of our on-site inventory due to glass being sprayed through out the shop.
There’s a real grieving that rolls over me with all this, a sick feeling.
And yet, I keep looking into my kids’ faces for a reason to start again. Yes, my 4 kids who are now between 35-43 yrs old, they still are my biggest reason to make strong choices that go beyond what I feel, beyond what’s easy and comfortable.
This morning in particular, my mind has been heavy with *how can I continue preparing all the spring inventory while having no where to work, while the shop gets repaired and cleaned. I was explaining to one of my daughters earlier… it’s as if my list runs horizontally and not vertically - everything is a priority to take care of - all at the same time. The details of *how…
And again… as the word *how comes to my mind, I realized about myself this morning, the answer to my *how is found in my *why… and this is when I see my kids’ faces in my mind. I want them to know by example that when life deals you what may feel like an impossible hand, which it inevitably will more than once, you play your hand as well as you can and you don’t quit on what’s most important, all by leaning into Jesus, the true miracle worker, the One who sustains us.
As my daughter told me this morning when we chatted, “Mom, celebrate every step that gets completed so you dont have to think about it any more, then forget about what’s done and move on to the next thing.”
What am I learning? …As I continue to bag up our lost inventory, I will let my heart celebrate instead of feeling the grief. Instead of thinking how - how - how - I’ll quickly remind myself of what’s most important… and this is that no one was hurt in the accident. I’ll harness the will to be thankful for strength to do the next thing, take the next step, and not get slowed down by thinking *how. I’ll remember… and then I’ll remember again.
Look into the faces of those you love. Motivation and strength will pour from them… every time.
Thankful today.
-lynn

02/11/2026

☀️ U P D A T E ☀️

Good morning dear friends.
• Following up from last week’s accident •
We have been busy in dialogue with various insurance companies. However, I have yet to get some direction on how to move forward with our damaged inventory so that we can work towards a reopening… I’m hoping to resolve this today so we can start cleaning up and preparing for spring. 🌸🌷🌸🌷
On a lighter note…
I just found a bar of Dubai chocolate that I had forgotten about!
You know??? Some days… Dubai chocolate just may be the best part of the day. 😬
🫶🏻 Stay close for updates 🫶🏻

02/09/2026

⭐️⭐️⭐️ U P D A T E ⭐️⭐️⭐️

💕 Good morning to all on this Monday 💕

Last Friday morning, not long after opening, a driver lost control of his car and found himself in reverse diagonally crossing the parking lot, heading towards the shop, clipping a corner of the column in front of our shop, which angled his vehicle just enough to miss us, but sent him directly into our neighboring business’s front doors, wedging his car tight within the double door frame - which stopped the car.
• The Miracle • All thanks to God - No one was hit! It is quite rare not to have anyone on the front sidewalk in the mornings, especially at our dear neighbors, Habitat Restore. The customers and employees in both our stores were far enough away from the crash that all were kept safe. The impact of the crash was loud and frightening. The driver exited, was attended to by first responders, and taken to the hospital.
Our shop has sustained interior damage as well as exterior. I will be meeting with folks in the coming days to determine steps ahead. I plan on getting a business cell phone to be able to take messages and calls until we are able to reopen. I’m sorry, I just don’t know yet when this will be. I’ll post that number when I get it.
If you have donations, if you could hold on to those for a little while until I get more clarity on creating drop off opportunities, we would really appreciate it!
Please keep us and Habitat in your prayers.
This is all coming at our busiest time of year, turning over from winter to our spring inventory creates enough business to carry us through our slow times at other times of the year. But, I KNOW God is in control! He reminds me of this, and He has proven this time and time again.
We at A Kid’s LIFE want so much to continue being a blessing to this community and to be used in any way that we can to serve each of you and your families. This current challenge may have taken us by surprise, but certainly not the One who holds us. And most important of all to remember - lives were truly saved last Friday!
Please don’t forget about us while we work through the details.
Feel free to message us anytime, and do stay alongside us as we watch, pray, and work extra hard to get back up and running.
Everyone please take care. What a humbling experience this has been. I am reminded once again how quickly things can change. Life is precious indeed❣️
Giving Thanks,
- lynn

02/06/2026

We will be closed today and tomorrow due to a bad accident that damaged our storefront.
I will provide details soon.
We hope and pray the driver recovers quickly, and thank God no one else was injured.

01/29/2026

❄️ Loving this day - and our precious customers! Warm hats and gloves are finding new homes! ❄️

01/29/2026

12/29/2025

🎄Merry Christmas and happy new year to our faithful friends!
As you go through your kids Christmas clothes and pajamas…please remember us! Our customers love finding Christmas clothes at our shop! As always, thank you for your support over this past year. We look forward to a wonderful 2026!
* We will be back open starting this Saturday, January 3rd. *

12/20/2025

🎁🎄✨From our hearts to yours - Christmas Greetings to each and all - our friends, our customers, and all who connect with us in the every day details of every day life✨🎄🎁

🎄We Will Be Closed Dec 20 - Jan 2 🎄

Please know how much we appreciate and love each and every one of you! May the Prince of Peace Himself be gracious to you, not only in this holiday season, but for a lifetime!
With love to you from each of us,
💗 Merry Christmas dearest friends 💗