We Don't Do This Alone

When I take time to sit and think about all of the reasons I have to be thankful, it is overwhelming. In this case, overwhelming is a good thing. How often can you really say good and overwhelming in the same sentence?

I am thankful to have good people in my life. Some of those people happen to go to church with me. Today I was sitting by myself with my four children. This is not an unusual occurrence, it is the rule and has been every Sunday for the last 18 months. Technically, I wasn't by myself because I strategically choose to sit by an amazing woman. She is the kind of woman I would like to be when I grow up.

When we moved here for residency her husband had recently passed away. Her daughter was in an Air Force residency for family medicine. Another son was serving in the military and had two or three grandchildren that lived far away. We immediately claimed her as our own. Having an insiders view of a medical residency gave her some perspective into our situation and she has, and continues to take great care of us.

She sits in the same spot each Sunday, and if we are lucky enough to get there before anyone else steals the coveted seats next to her, we get to be the recipients of her kindness and devotion. She brings colored pens/pencils, sketch books, and story books to entertain my children with. This Sunday she brought my husband, who is also in the military (reserves) a "treat" for Veterans day. It was American Blessing Mix.

Pretzels: Arms folded in prayer, a freedom sought by those who founded our country.
Corn Cereal Squares: The patchwork harvest landscape of our bountiful land.
Oat Cereal: The cycle of life and renewal of the American spirit with each generation.
Peanuts: Promise of a future harvest, one our children will reap if seeds are planted and tended with diligence.
M&M's: Memories of those who came before us which guide us to a blessed future.
White Chocolate: The pure sweetness of love that can bind us together.

There are so many things that I admire about this woman. I think of things, but fail to execute so often. She seems to be actively thinking about the ways that she can bless the lives of others. It isn't just us that she takes care of, she does this for countless others. She could choose to be sad, depressed, resentful, and lonely. But she isn't. She could choose to sit somewhere else, but doesn't. She has made herself available to us on numerous occasions. She has had us over to dinner. She has come over to watch my children so my DrH and I could go out to dinner. She has watched my children so I could go to the grocery store. She watched my kids at a spray park this summer so I could go get my teeth cleaned. She has met us at a park to play with the kids. She even brings her homemade gigantic bubble wand! She has accompanied me on a long run (10 miles!) when I was training for a 1/2 marathon and didn't think I would be able to run that far alone. She is always bringing something for the kids, or something for us. We love this woman and I wish I could convince her to move with us.

I am excited for the next phase of our life, but I am going to miss all the people who have been true angels to us while we have been here. We are especially going to miss her.