For as long as I have been writing here, I have always prided myself on being honest. In life, out here. I am simply not a good liar. Lies build on lies and I'm too scatterbrained to keep track of them all. To tell the story I want to tell you, I have to change the story, change names and events a bit as to give this family the privacy and the pride they deserve.
I was very blessed in my life. Honestly, I did not want for anything. I almost always was given everything I asked for at Christmas, except for one thing. Family. My mom often worked Christmas. As a single mom, the opportunity to be paid double time, couldn't be overlooked. Some years, I spent with the neighbors and I spent a few years with my sister and her husband's family, and one year with my brother and his girlfriend's family. In high school, we spent Christmas with my boyfriends family. My family, as a whole did/does not get together at Christmas.
Yet, there is still the worst Christmas. The Christmas my parents had a huge argument. I was young, I don't remember exactly but, younger than 10. I remember them yelling. I remember her pushing him. I remember calling my sister to come. I remember my mom and my sister fighting, I vision the wrestling (I was young) and my sister had a scratch on her cheek, it was bleeding. My mom put it there (I remembered this Christmas and the scratch on her face as two different events. I recently learned they were one in the same). I remember the policeman sitting on the piano bench, wearing his furry winter hat, talking to me. I do not remember his words. We were taken from my parents that night. It was Christmas Eve. I went to a friend's house. I don't know where everyone else went. Another of my sisters brought me the next day to open gifts with my mom. It was only the 3 of us. And my mom was MAD! This happened often at Christmas, her losing control.
I will never forget waking up that Christmas morning at my friend's house. There was some confusion over stockings, hers and mine were mixed up and we had to trade. I remember them opening gifts and I just wanted to be in my home with my gifts.
Around Thanksgiving, through a friend of a friend, I heard about a family having a tough go. Dad couldn't find steady work, with four kids, two not in school - day-care would eat most of mom's earnings. They had the family but, there was to way for them to have Christmas. They weren't even sure they could have heat for the winter. I talked to my friend about this family for a few days. Learning as much as I could about them. Like I couldn't hear enough! I went home one night and said to Jeremy, we have to help this family. We have to do something. No matter what I thought of, it wasn't enough. Sure, we could spare a couple hundred dollars but, that wasn't going to do much for them. I was driving into work one morning, trying to figure it out when the light went on! My department - at work - we could adopt them! We talked about it last year - a different family but, we could do it this year!
I couldn't get to work fast enough that morning! I found the executive admin. for one of our Vice Presidents and asked her what she thought and with tears in our eyes, we decided to go for it! I was so relieved - I found a way to help this family! I was so excited! I called my friend and told her our plans and she and I cried some more!
I got a list from the family and these little elves went to town! Sheets, blankets, sleds, boots, slippers, coats, books, movies, games, toys, dog food, laundry soap, paper towel, tools, dishes, toilet paper, we filled box after box! Not only that, we took a collection to fill their propane tank and $1000.00 was raised. I spoke with my friend, as well as the mom to this family quite a bit over these weeks. I remember the mom asking what she should do for her kids for Christmas, I simply said, "Nothing.". There was nothing left to do! I knew the pile of gifts that was here. (I can't share with you, sorry!) I was totally impressed with this family. Knowing they had help coming, they were able to get a 2nd car on the road, and dad lined up a couple of job interviews. We could see the light at the end of the tunnel. I could see the relief on these parents, knowing help was there.
Daily. Daily I was asked about our family. How are they doing? Did dad find work? How are the kids? Do they need this? Do you think they could use this?
I was amazed at the generosity I witnessed. I came in to my office one morning to find a circular saw - yes, a saw, sitting on my desk. Every time someone brought me money for propane, I cried. One man alone gave me a check for $200.00. I bawled! My favorite story, one man brought me a tag from the tree (we broke their wish list down into tags - whoever wanted to donate could take a tag) for a girl's bike. He said he had a boy's bike at home, would it be OK to clean it up for the boy. I didn't see a problem with it. A few minutes later, he came back with the tag for the boy's bike and he said to me "I couldn't buy the girl a brand new bike and not the boy." I cried all day.
It took about 10 people to load it all up into four vehicles. Three trucks, myself, and four of my co-workers left here to take Christmas to this family...wow! So much more than I could have done by myself.
This got really long, really fast - I'll share the delivery tomorrow.
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