proof that kindness means something (corrected the link- sorry!)

hey guys- just a SUPER quick post w/ something i forgot to mention the other day.

you may remember that we went to NYC back in october and on our trip happened to get a chance to meet the NBC gang that covered the Viper Company story during jimmy's deployment

everybody was beyond nice. but the biggest surprise? brian williams.

he was down to earth, kind, and there were NO walls around him  like you expect with a "famous person". he was just lovely. with us AND the girls. he told me all about his children and what they were doing..and asked about us. and really listened.

and the whole team was like that. they have our christmas card framed on the desk there.

genuine...nice people, you know?

regardless of political affiliations or opinions it's possible to be friends. to carry on an intelligent discussion.  and some people don't seem to understand that. but it's true.

so anyway, brian did a fantastic blog the other night on the topic of obituaries, how he writes them, and his belief in respecting those who have passed.

i left a comment, i was compelled to do so. mind you i've NEVER done so before and i did not in any way, shape or form expect a response. i just felt like saying something.

Brian-
I knew you were a good egg before I met you. You and your team covered Viper Company with such thoughtfulness and compassion. The time my family spent with you confirmed this. This blog entry doubly confirms my feelings. Thanks for your sincerity, kindness, and integrity.
stephanie howell

Then I went about my merry way and a day or so later i got an email from ML Flynn, a producer at NBC who has become a friend...and she sent me a link.

A LINK TO THIS.

and then? i peed my pants. not really, but i freaked. and then i calmed down and realized "Hey! maybe this kindness stuff really does work!" even with someone like him- it doesn't go unnoticed. glad i made that choice. and glad that i'm sticking to it.

brief sidenote- i never handed him a picture of j, not sure what that's all about?!?!!?!?!? myyyystery.

alright. random post over.

thanks for your sweet words on the post below. a friend told me that the wife always out-ranks the husband b/c of all the hard work they do at home,

so i'm signing this

LTC Howell heeeeee

xxoox

Comments

[Steph H]

"And then I peed my pants"
thanks for making me giggle two mornings in a row :)

[Lynn]

Stephanie,
That is beyond cool! I would absolutely be being my pants too! You are correct that kindness pays off. I adore you and your blog. I love reading every minute of it and smile as you capture your life.

Thanks for always sharing with us. You bring us all many, many smiles!

Lynn

PS My husband and I both adore Brian Williams too...only nightly news we'll watch!

[Amy H]

I have been reading your blog "from a distance" for several months now, and I have to say that Brian, I am certain is a good seed, but you are definitely one, too! It's awesome that he mentioned you, but good always sticks with people, so I am not all that surprised! :) Congrats on your hubby's promotion! My BIL is a LT at Fort Drum just back from Afg. in December. So I love reading your thoughts on the army life, it gives me some insight on what my SIL goes through, not to mention you are crazy talented! :) Hugs, Amy

[justlisa]

That is just so cool Stephanie! You are daily read for me...not just for your scrapbooking but because you are so entertaining and right-on with your posts! Beautiful family too!
Have a blessed weekend!!
Lisa

[Susan]

OMG... that is awesome! Good to know that he is kind and genuine. I will look at Brian Williams a little different now knowing that he has said that to you. Again, that is just genuine and kind of him.

[Annette G]

First... HUGE congrats on DH's promotion! :-) And the link? OMG... infinity. Very cool and gives me hope! LOVE it!

[Dolly]

You are so right to be proud of J, Major, wow! Please tell him thank you for me for all he (and all of our service men and women) is doing for our country. I know it is what lets me and the rest of us civilians sleep securely each night.

Be kind and amazing things will happen. I have repeated this mantra over and over each day. Each little thing makes a difference, whether it is complimenting a complete stranger on how cute her shoes are (really, how hard is that??) to helping a senior citizen out to her car with her packages at Michael's. Thanks Stephanie for sharing!

[Rachel Solly]

What a wonderful thing for you. You are impacting people with your kindness! Have you seen this: www.operationnice.com ? She shares your passion. You are a lovely person through your blog so I am sure that those who meet and know you in real life see that even MORE!

[Harriett]

Very cool mention from Brian Williams!

[Lori Renn]

I LoVe BW. That is just so cool. He is such a total hoot on talk shows! Kindness DOES matter, girl! Thanks for pointing it out!

[Joli]

Why settle for LTC, I say Gen. Mommy!!!!

[tilda]

That is very very cool! I am in love with Kindness....it is quite addicting!!! And Congrats to J for making Major! Have a nephew in the AF that just Made Staff Sgt so I know how challenging those promotions can be!

[Jessica Larsen]

You're so famous!! ;)

[Ally White]

Ohg! I'd have "peed my pants" too! I always knew i liked that Brian Williams :)

[Sarah]

OMG! That is awesome! I would be beyond excited too! I do love Brian Williams. He is so handsome. Now I love him more!

[Frances, New Yorker in the OC]

This was great--I wouldn't have guessed Brian Williams was so thoughtfully articulate. I may have to catch his show now--

[Krista Nash]

Very cool! Congrats to J on his promotion as well. It must make him feel so good to have a wife who's so proud of his achievements.

[Holly S]

AAAHHHHHH!!!!!! I would be jumping out of my skin! Obviously your kindness touched BW's heart and he could see that you and j are genuine people-no hidden agenda, no snide behind the back remarks, no flippant words, just true, caring people. I am super excited to see what he wrote about you! Rock on sister!!!

[reyanna]

WOW! SO awesome!!! Brian Williams has such a family-crush on the Howells. ;-) I love that. You guys are too fabulous for words. :D

[j.leija]

a little bit of kindness can make the world go round!

[Michelle]

So super cool! And a huge congrats to J and you too LTC!! ;) You even got some shout outs on BW's blog comments.

[megand]

Congrats on your husbands promotion. I do think that you've attained the rank of "Household Six".

[Cheryl Manz]

oh my gosh! YOU are brian william's old pal! that's so beyond awesome! :)

[Gretchen McElveen]

rockstar!

[aubree]

So wonderful --- nice to hear there is some much goodness in your life right now.

[Melissa]

Giggle, giggle! Thanks for sharing! It's true about the wife-outranking-the-husband-thing. I've been called "General" for the past 3 years now. It's embarrassing but sorta funny too! Also, I just want to tell you how much I appreciate the fact that you put Sadie in hourly care. I know this may sound weird, but you are right. Some venues are just not meant for the smallest children and I am really touched by your ability to see and understand that fact. Some wives just don't get it and I was thrilled to read that you do. Not trying to sound snotty (and some of your readers may mistake me for a snotty person), but some events are meant to have lots of "pomp and circumstance" and it is important to have respect for certain military ceremonies. (Plus, it's also respectful of others who are attending the event to not have an active toddler running around). A promotion is a very big deal. Congrats to you an J! Thanks Stephanie!

[mary]

Thought of you today- It's Sat. and I woke up sick and whezzing ( I have asthma). My MD was off and I called his back-up MD at 11:30 knowing they closed at 12. I was put on hold for a while and then told to come right in I'd be the last appt. for the day. When I saw the MD he told me he gave the last appt. to me because he remembered I was nice and another man called at the same time and was rude. Luckily I didn't have to wait for Monday am coz I have bronchitis. A Stephanie kindness moment!

[Meggan]

How awesome!!! And what is even more cool is someone commented that they love your blog. :)

[Account Deleted]

that is so awesome, Steph! :) just goes to show how even one person can change things! beautiful! :)

[Kami]

O! M! G!!!!!! That is sooo frickin cool, Stephanie! And yep, I would have *literally* peed my pants! LOL!!

[Christine Ousley]

I totally believe in everything you have said about kindness goes a long way. What did they used to say, One good deed deserves another. Lucky you to have met and befriended such wonderful people. Just remember, they are lucky too, to have met you, kind, sweet, and talented LTC Howell! Have a great day!
xoxo, Christine

[Sue]

How cool is that! Funny, I was talking to my husband the other day about Brian Williams. We were saying how he seems like a genuinely nice guy, even though we don't know him at all. Now you've proved us right!

[Victoria S.]

Loved the BW blog. i kept reading the comments and you were mentioned several times by others - did you see that? Pretty cool!
Congrats to J for Making MAJOR!!!! Very exciting please tell him thanks from us ( my family) for serving our country. We appreciate all of the sacrifices he makes to keep us safe!

[Mustangkayla]

How cool is that? Wow...Did you print it? I would have! :) Kindness does make a difference, it does work and it always feels great!

[Kim]

How awesome is that!!!

[Vanessa M Santamaria]

I think that I would pee my pants, too! LOL! He seems like a very kind person and I am glad that he continues to recognize the work that Jimmy has done! That's pretty darn awesome. :)

[Shannon Lowe]

Steph, that is SO cool! I always got that impression of Brian Williams -genuine, etc.
THis totally confirms it, and obviously you made an impression on him as well!
Love it!

[Shemaine Smith]

After I mentioned to my husband how much your kindness post touched me I saw your tweet about this and I showed hubby his blog and comment. He said "yep that gal is a good egg" :)

[Jessica]

That is great! Speaking of kindness, I experienced some yesterday morning myself. I was 45 minutes away from home with my two kids in the car, and I started to hear an awful sound coming from my car. Turns out the drip plate underneath came unattached and was dragging on the ground. I pulled into a gas station with a little auto parts store in the back and went in and basically said "I need help...there is a thing hanging from my car." Well, a man who worked there took the time to help me. He was on the ground in 4 degree weather, trying to reattach it and it was NOT easy. Fortunately he was able to rig it up somehow and I was able to get home...he saved the day yesterday for me.

On the other hand, the owner of the store gave me an attitude the second I walked in the store. And then when all I had was my debit card to pay for the $1.89 part, he was NOT happy...and he wasn't quiet about it either. He made me feel like an idiot because I had no cash on me....which in this day in age may not be a smart thing, but it surely isn't abnormal. Know what I mean?

Anyway, so I experienced extreme kindness and extreme rudeness all within 20 minutes.

[Stephanie Howell]

jessica-
im sorry you had to experience rudeness like that, but so glad you also got to experience the flip side. xoxo

[Jennifer Stewart]

Love that, Steph and it's refreshing when we see a celebrity show kindness. :)

I decided today to leave a comment on every blog I visit. I think Bloglines and Google Reader make it easy to just skip that part, but I think it would be kind to leave a comment instead. So I'm doing that. :) (not that I wouldn't have anyway....)

Love,
Jen

[Stephanie Howell]

love you, sweet friend!! nice to see you!!! ;)

[Michelle Whitlow]

That's just SO neat!! And I totally agreed with your kindness post. People forget to be kind, that their words (whether kind or mean) stick with people forever. And even worse, I feel that people are forgetting to teach their kids to be kind, and selfless, and genuine.

[Kirsty]

WHOA! That is all sorts of awesome!

[Kirsty]

be kind and amazing things will happen - you know that, I know that.
So because Ive been kind to leave you a comment, what amazing thing you gonna do for me, me old fruit??!!!
loves ya x

[Soldier Girl]

cool beans .. congrats on the promotion to you and Major Howell.

[Debby Schuh]

That is so cool! There isn't anything like kindness... it can just make your whole day!

[Rachel]

WOW...what a great man. I've always liked Brian, but your stories about him only make me like him more! That is VERY cool :)

[Mary Ann]

Congrats to Jimmy, um, I mean Major Howell!
and congrats to you to Mrs. Howell. What sweet words Brian had to say.