On Saturday, I worked at my company's largest community assistance fair of the year. Our community relations team works for months to bring together more than 30 agencies that provide a variety of assistance - food, healthcare, housing, etc. so that people who need help can get it all in one place. During the event we also provide funds to help people who are behind with their electric bill get caught back up.
I've worked at least one of these events every year that I've been at this job, and in years past I became frustrated as people complained to me about how they were entitled to help as they swung their Coach purses and tapped their recently manicured acrylic nails on their iPhones. The funds we hand out are donated by the community when they pay their electric bill, so obviously we work very hard to use them very wisely and appropriately. Yet every hear I had people complain that we required too much paperwork to get the money and we should just give it to them. We actually only require a few things and they get money on site - and usually we also give out Walmart gift cards, too.
This year I didn't have that problem. What I saw Saturday reminded me that I am so blessed. While Brian and I may complain about silly problems with our neighbors or the barking dog down the street, we are so fortunate to have a beautiful home and two amazing kids and to be able to provide everything they need. At some point during the day I even texted him to thank him for helping me have a life filled with so much happiness.
There was one woman I will never forget. She walked in, tears already in her eyes, and I could tell she was just overwhelmed. This woman could be anyone's mom, aunt, grandmother, sister or friend. She began to tell me how she'd never had to ask for help before and she really didn't know where to go or what to do. I explained how everything worked and told her as long as she had the paperwork listed on the form, she would most likely be able get help on site. I hugged her. I cried for and with her. And I told her that she didn't need to be embarrassed to ask for help. Almost everyone needs it at some point in their life and the hardest part is taking that first step to get it. About an hour later she came back and said she'd got $85 to help with her past-due bill and that the Walmart gift card would let her buy groceries, which she hadn't done in several weeks. She asked if she could hug me and I of course said yes. And we cried some more. She walked out into the bright New Mexico sun on a gorgeous day and said it was the first day she felt some sense of relief in a long time. I was so happy for her and so proud to work somewhere that we could get this woman the help she needed.
Saturday night I enjoyed my family and went to bed a little early, wiped out from the emotional day I'd just been through.
And then it hit. At about 1:30 I woke up feeling sick to my stomach, and it didn't stop for almost 29 hours.
I do not remember being this sick in a long time. I scared Madeline when I told her not to come too close because I didn't want her to get sick.
I could barely get out of bed. I was the worst case of the Seven Dwarfs all rolled into one - I was dopey, sleepy, poopey, pukey, grumpy, teary and fussy.
But there, in the middle of all of that, I once again felt blessed. I knew the girls were downstairs with their daddy. They were playing, smiling, laughing, eating and happy - all while I got through the awful day. I felt blessed to have a partner along for this journey who could juggle both girls when I couldn't find the strength to even get out of bed. At one point Brian even got sick to his stomach a few times, but he was able to work through it and let me rest, knowing I needed it.
So here I sit today, a little worse for the wear, 10 pounds lighter (sadly some of that dehydration was also my milk supply so I have to work to get that going again), and full of tears and gratitude for a weekend that reminded me that just how lucky I am.
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