• Your best friend had her first baby, and you are sitting here thinking, “What in the world can I do for her and her family?”

    Relax, you’re not alone! Millions of people are faced with this question each year.

    I might have made up that statistic, but it’s a question I get asked all the time, so I just assumed. Here is a clue, lots of people don’t need or want you to do anything. They will just be happy seeing you and watching you love on their new bundles of joy. Seriously, they will.

    If you feel inclined to do more, just ask. You might be surprised how honest and straight forward your friends might be. Maybe you don’t feel comfortable asking. Then always a safe answer is food. Find out what kinds of food the family likes and make it for them.

    Fresh cookies will never, ever be turned down. Don’t worry if you can’t cook. When I had my daughter some of my favorite gifts were gift cards to a local pizza joint. We could use them when we really needed it, and order a pizza just the way we like it.

    Another great gift I received was a coupon for a cleaning service. A bunch of friends got together to make this one happen. It was nice because I was so loath to ask them for help cleaning, but I really needed it! They came in and took an hour to make my house look sparkling! It’s something I would love to have more often!

    If you receive such a fantastic gift, you are under no obligation to tell your mother in law that you didn’t clean it yourself.