Monday, November 24, 2008

DO YOU KNOW A SINGLE MOM THIS HOLIDAY SEASON?

Picture from American Girl Catalog
As you all read my blog you see a mom of four married and happy. But at one point in my life, which seems like a lifetime ago, I was going from day to day in the middle of a divorce. My oldest was just diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. We had to leave our home because with the loss of my husbands wedding ring he also forgot how to pay the bills. So I, on top of it all, was having surgery on my back. Yup, when it rains it pours. I had to figure out how to feed us, buy insulin and make sure a lawyer could get something done so maybe we could start over. Not the best Christmas on record. Well that is until the knock on the door Christmas Eve night. You see we where truly living hand to mouth. I could fix pasta in some of the most incredible ways. There where days I would show up at dinner time at other peoples houses because I knew they would invite us to stay. It was so hard but I knew if I got better and we got up on our feet we could do this.
Back to the Christmas Eve part. You want to give your kids the moon and do anything you can for them. Like I said there was little to no money coming in and both of the kids knew this. We spent Christmas eve with my parents like we always did. Went to church and I took my kids back to out little flat and put them to bed. What happened next was amazing. Both kids where sound asleep when I heard someone knock on my front door. It was my parents. Or should I say Mr and Mrs. Clause. They had so many gifts in their arms. Everything from the doll pictured above from American Girl to Tony Hawk Remote control Skate Guy. There where garbage bags full of presents. They where all wrapped in the most beautiful paper. On top of it all they brought me my dog. I had the most beautiful and smart boxer there ever was. When I had to leave the cabin I had to give her to my parents because I couldn't have her in the flat. That broke my heart. But there she was.
The next morning they woke up to a pile of presents that only Santa could have dropped off. It was incredible. Plus, Santa picked up our beloved dog and dropped her off as well. I am crying right now writing this because it was the most incredible thing you had ever seen. They BELIEVED. After all the three of us had been through they had something to believe in and that was worth more then all of those presents.
The point of this? Well that is simple. We all know someone that is having a hard time. I was lucky, I have wonderful parents that gave me strength and never let me fall. Not everyone has that. And from this gesture that they did I learned how important FAITH is. How being able to believe can get you a little farther to making a better life for yourself and your family. I also learned first hand how hard it is to be a single mom. There is no one to fall back on to take that burden no matter how hard others try. The other half of your marriage is gone and you are the only one that can teach those kids to be strong and keep moving on. That is a lot to deal with on your own. Not to mention the addition of the Diabetes. So my challenge to you all is to take that ornament off the giving tree and purchase that toy. Maybe invite another family over for a big home cooked meal. But what ever you do, share your blessings. You have so many that you may not even see them all, but they are there. Just don't forget that giving the gift of Faith to someone who has lost theirs can turn a life around. And someday I would like to be remembered, not by a bunch of people, but by just one person, that I helped them Believe again!

CREATE SOMETHING FABULOUS TODAY!
~PS...THANKS MR & MRS CLAUS!

1 comment:

Southern Lady's Vintage said...

Thank you for sharing this with your readers. I too was a single Mom and it is soooooo tough. People who haven't been there doesn't really understand how hard it is. God carried us thru it and I am forever thankful. I am so glad that your parents were there for you! That means so much! Hugs, Barbara