Okay, so this isn't really a State Farm commercial, and really about good neighbors and friends, but I couldn't just leave that jingle just hanging there, half finished.
Last week I had the opportunity to be grateful for good friends and neighbors not once but twice.
Last Sunday I took John to the airport. The plan was that after I arrived home I had about one hour to get finish getting myself and my kids ready for church. Doable. Nick was already gone practicing a song with the young men that they would be singing in church the next week. I left the older two with instructions that they were to be bathed before I got home. They were.
Everything was going smooth for the most part (Christopher tries to convince me he needs to stay home every week) But then I walked in the door, pushing the button to shut the garage door behind me. It wasn't long before I heard a loud crash. I ran out in the garage expecting to see some huge catastrophe, but at first glance I couldn't see anything wrong.
Then I noticed this-
I was stuck.
There was no way I was going to be able to get my car out.
Madison was the good example and immediately called a friend and asked for a ride. I wasn't sure if I had time to find rides for everyone and be ready when those said rides materialized, so I gave up before I started and texted Nick that I most likely would not be at church and he needed to find a ride home.
After some explaination of the situation, he texted back saying that he and his scout leader would be over in a few minutes.
Long story short, they were able to lift my garage so that I could back out and even make it to church on time.
We delivered a big plate of Thank-You Cookies ( sugar cookies) to this man's house the next night. And the bonus was that they were in the middle of watching a movie in the back yard and invited us over.
That night when I got home I checked my e-mail before going to bed to find something that set me panicking.
In just two days Nick would be attending a Mountain Man rendezvous with his fellow scouters, and some mothers determined that they needed "capotes". (Big fuzzy mountain-man like coats to keep them warm). Other boys had done them in years past, they were always a big hit, and it was the consensus of the mothers that they didn't want to send their boys off without this particular wardrobe item.
The email stated that the mothers (all of which I consider my friends) were all getting together the next day at noon with our purchased material and sewing machines so we could send the boys off in style.
That's great in theory, and John's response to the forwarded e-mail said "That sounds great! Nick would love it! They're supposed to be really warm."
My response back was "Did you read the part about me showing up at the church with my non-existent sewing machine and my non-existent sewing skills?" (not to mention that fabric stores give me the hives, because they speak another language and look at me like I 'm an idiot and don't belong there.)
I ended up responding back to the email to the other mothers saying that I really really can't sew, don't own a sewing machine etc. (I pay people in caramels to sew on scout badges)
I spent some time on the internet trying to figure out if I could buy one, (not cheap, and not at all similar to the example pictures that came in the email)
After talking to Nick, he said it was okay if we just borrowed one. He knows I have my limits and sewing anything is beyond them. I am sure he was disappointed, but he didn't show it.
As I started making phone calls I received a new email from one of the mothers. She said she had extra material I could have. Her son changed his mind on the color choice, and if Nick was ok with gray he could have that material, and if I helped cut it out, she would sew it up that night.
I think I heard angels sing.
Whether or not gray (with black and white animal print for the hood and sleeves) would have been his first choice, Nick never let on. He was just excited and grateful to have his own. (he made that knife and wanted to show it off too.)
My friend got a big plate of cookies too.
Twice this week, when things were looking hopeless, I received a message via email or text that help was on the way. We would have survived with the car stuck in the garage for a day or two, and Nick would have made do without complaint if the best I could give him was a borrowed capote, but I am so grateful for good friends and neighbors who stop by in their suit and tie to heft a dirty garage door for me, or stay up after her kids go to bed so that Nick will have his own capote like all the other boys.
Excuse me, not just "good neighbors", The Best.
3 comments:
did you get it fixed? ours broke a few months ago. I think I found a great deal on it if you still need it fixed!
yes, thankfully we did get it fixed within a couple of days. It was a little tense there since the garbage cans were still in the garage, and they don't fit through doorways, btw, but everything is good now :)
Awesome!!
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