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While taking this journey as a special needs mom, some days are tougher than others, you get tired, you feel undervalued, you feel like no one cares, or understands. My goal is to never look like what I’m going through. But I have found in between the clouds, unexpected rainbows appear, just out of nowhere, like beautiful angels. Here are some of my angels, angels that entertain me unaware.
Before I was even a Mom, many years ago, I found a purse in a cart in the grocery store parking lot. I looked through the purse to find the person’s phone number, this was long before cell phones and social media. I saw she had her paycheck, birth certificate, and basically her whole life in her purse and I wanted to hand it to her myself. After some detective work, I found her, we met in a neutral spot and I returned her purse. She cried and cried and was so grateful. We exchanged information and every Christmas we would send each other a Christmas card and write each other a letter update as to what was going on in our lives. Sometimes I would get a gift from her, flowers in the summer, I would send her flowers or Christmas ornaments, I shared with her the birth of my twins, my new job, her when she retired, my divorce. She would send the girls outfits or toys. I would send her pictures. We continued our friendship for over 20 years even though I never saw her again. I looked forward to hearing from her and I don’t know why we never met for lunch or dinner. One year my card went unanswered, I never knew what happened to Barbara, but I always keep her in my heart and in my prayers. She is my friend, each other’s angel.
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Like for instance the nurse that I had to check in with every quarter that handled the insurance that paid for the girls to attend physical, speech and occupational therapy. It was a state funded program, because my insurance through my employer would not cover these appointments. She would call me every 3 months or so and ask me the same questions and we would chat. Sometimes during those conversations, she would tell me she had an agency that donated school uniforms to them and that she would put 2 for each girl aside. I would come home from work and find them on my porch. This relationship went on for years, we never had the chance to meet, but I looked forward to her phone calls. Then one day, someone new called me, and said she left the agency. I was sad that I didn’t get to tell her bye or good luck. Then low and behold, I took the girls to a neurology appointment, and guess who was the doctor’s nurse? All 3 of us finally had a chance to meet! She ended up leaving his office and I never saw her again, but I will never forget Carol’s conversations and kindness.
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I’m walking through the auto show one Sunday afternoon browsing and wishing and stopped by a table of a company who sells wheelchair accessible vans. I start chatting with the lady and telling her how desperately I need an accessible van, and that I had been looking for grants and to my county waiver program to convert my van. She said, oh, I do that for a living, I can get it done, call me! We exchanged information and I laughed out loud, thinking I’ve been trying for this for years. She called me, I gave her a few phone numbers of people I had been working with, low and behold, a week later, I got the call, the $20,000 for my van had been approved and would be converted later this year! She calls occasionally to check on me, and to see if I need anything, but I probably won’t see Jane again.
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I have countless stories like these and I am so thankful for these people that run in and out of my life for no apparent reason, but teach me and elevate me. It reminds me of something I read on the internet, I couldn’t find the author, but it says ~
When people come into your life for a season, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.
#daMotivatedMom
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