Acts of Service

Continuing with my birthday tradition this year, I am going to focus on one word(s) for my wonderful husband who will be celebrating his birthday this week.

Acts of Service

In the book, The Five Love Languages, there should be a picture of Don for the chapter of Acts of Service.  Almost everyday, I can tell you something that Don did for me or the girls that is extremely thoughtful.  Just today, he filled my water bottle up and had it waiting for me before we went golfing.  A couple of weeks ago, Marah just brought up an idea that we could come out to LA to watch her dog, Sevvy, while she and Dylan were in Denver visiting Maddie.  In an instant, Don was booking our flights out to LA.

We make fun of this from time to time and we always blame Don when we don’t know how to do something or procrastinate doing something because we are so used to Don doing things for us.  When Maddie was visiting with her dog, Maizy, she and I didn’t even budge off the couch when it was time for the dogs to go outside because we knew Don would not only do this but actually really enjoy doing it because he knew it would  make our lives easier and we would have more time together.

However, it goes well beyond his family.  There are so many stories I could tell you of Don giving of himself, his time, his money, etc.  A recent example was last week. He was letting the dogs out in the park across the street and a homeless man approached him.  Don has always been respectful of the homeless and does not shy away from having conversations with them.  This man had had a very difficult night and was in need of some fresh clothes.  Don came upstairs and filled a bag with clothes and brought it down to the man along with some cash telling him to go and get a warm breakfast once he was cleaned up (a nearby hotel had offered him the use of one of their showers).  

Another story that comes to mind is the year Don decided to be a guardian on an Honor Flight.  We had gone to the airport to welcome a Honor Flight home and Don had also heard a friend’s father tell us of his trip on a Honor Flight as a veteran and it really touched Don.  So much so that he reached out to see how he could become a guardian.  He was able to travel to Washington D.C. with Bud.  Bud was very unsure about going on this trip as he had tried to block out all the memories of war for his entire life and he was worried that this trip would bring back too many bad memories.  Instead, this trip brought the peace that Bud had been searching for his entire life.  Even though they only spent two days together Bud and Don created a special bond.  When Bud’s health declined and he was reaching the end of his life, his wife reached out to Don and asked him to come and visit Bud before he passed away.  What Don did for Bud was remarkable.

Each year, many people wait for Don’s email at the start of football season so they can join one of his many pools that he runs throughout the year to raise money for the American Cancer Society.  I am not sure how many years he has done these pools but he has raised thousands of dollars for this cause and we have now become members of the Event Leadership Team for the Greater Milwaukee Relay for Life.

Recently, Don really wanted us to get more involved in the election, especially since we have time now to do these things in retirement.  Again, I also thought this was a great idea but it would have taken me weeks to act on this–not Don, within a day he had visited the Democratic Office in Bayview and had us signed up for weekly shifts to help out.  He also applied to be a poll worker and will be working the primary election this week as well as the November election.

Did I mention, Don gives blood every month!!!  I could go on and on and I know there are many of you out there who have also experienced the kindness of Don Petre.  The world is a better place because of Don Petre and I am so incredibly lucky that I get to witness everyday the love and kindness he gives me and others.  Happy Birthday my wonderful husband♥️