Thank you

Dear Friends of Facebook,

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Last spring, when I moved in with four young siblings so their lives could remain stable for the school year, there was much I didn’t know.

I didn’t know that I would be pushed far, far, beyond my emotional limits. (FAR)

I didn’t know I’d need more than half a year to fully recover, emotionally and physically, from those 15 weeks.

I never guessed that one morning the little brothers would take raw eggs into the bathtub and when discovered would run, naked and laughing, around the neighborhood for twenty minutes. At the time, I was overwhelmed, but I knew it would be a funny story later. Thankfully, that later has arrived.

I had no idea that we would be helped and held by the caring acts of friends, acquaintances, colleagues, and strangers. 

We were given meals and money, books and groceries. We were given an Easter Egg hunt. Two women were our weekend bookends; one friend came over every Friday, and another on Sundays. Folks met us at parks to play and came to the house to help. Two co-workers even took the sisters for overnights.

Store clerks provided calm, competent, kind service. I never knew what a gift that was until I lived with rattled nerves 24/7.

My Facebook world responded to every post with encouragement, admiration, love, and humor, also 24/7. It was a vital lifeline.

My co-workers met my exhaustion, stress, and neediness with grace and kindness.

Sometimes we serve by knowing when to stay away, so here’s a grateful shout-out to the friends and family who did that at my request, without hurt feelings, because I only wanted experienced child wranglers to come by.

Around week 6 of my adventure, I called it the worst great idea I ever had. However, now that I’m fine again, I’m so glad I did it. The siblings stayed together for longer than they would have otherwise. They finished the school year where they started it. Best of all, they were spared the trauma of what could have been numerous separations and sudden transitions. Instead, they had a single smooth and expected move into the two good homes where they continue to live. Thank you for helping that happen.

Plus, I got to fulfill a dream: to make a difference in someone elses’s life. Thank you for enabling me to do that. I couldn’t have done it alone.   

With Affection, Annie