we have entered into the new school year. the smell of new books, unsharpened pencils, sparkly new binders, and freshly packed lunches assault my sense of smell and litter my home. alarms ringing early, bleary eyes peeking out from bed covers and mute children wander my home. (a small blessing of early rising, they don't yet speak!) starting a new school year always leaves me in tears, this year moreso than others. being unemployed AND loosing my baby to "all day" sort of did me under yesterday. i was a heap of wetness and tears. they (the kids) fared far better than their old mother.
and let's face it, school is costly.
under the burden of no income, we wondered how we would come up with hundreds of dollars in high school fees and the cost of a $143 calculator (yes! you read that right, $143--josh is in honors calculus and that is the REQUIRED "tool" of participation. GASP!), school lunches, more fees for Jr High and elementary....you know the drill. the list goes on.
folks, i am telling you, someone is watching over my family! We had a check come in the mail (for clothes--but we used it for fees and school supplies--again, it's that "want" vs. "need" thingy) it covered us!
an "anonymous" donor offered up the money for Josh's math tool. and through my strict budgeting and couponing and bargaining we came up with rest. a friend stopped by with shakes. because she knew i always cried like a baby on the first day of school and she KNEW
that this year would be harder, even harder. another friend called and listened to me cry for
over an hour. not offering advice, or silly platitudes (which while nice to say, really don't help) she JUST LISTENED. my burden, that had weighed thousands of pounds for the past week, was suddenly lifted and my shoulders were light again. all because of a listening ear.
we are blessed. even in this midst of adversity, we are.
again, let me tell you how HUMBLING it is, like down on your butt looking up at the world humbling, to actually say "yes" and accept this kind of help. it is really hard, i am not sure
if people get that or not (unless you've actually been through it). but is is HARD!
it has made kyle and i pause, over and over and over again, and have our hearts overflow
with gratitude at the help we have received during this season of our lives. we hope to be able to be in the "giving back" stage sometime soon.
here is to straight A's, good friends, fun memories and a school year that will take their breaths away!
2 comments:
Sounds like you are surrounded by some wonderful people! I do hope tbey have a wonderful school year, as well and that things get a little better for mom and dad. :)
Love that pic of Mr. Carter and Gal pal Olivia. As I mentioned before, they will get a kick out of that picture in 20 years. Great pics of all of the kids as well. This will be an interesting year...
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