Home Sweet Home!

I am finally home! What a whirlwind!! I can honestly say that this has been one of the most astonishing times of my life. To leave Minnesota on Wednesday morning, drive to Texas in 18 hours for a 3 day visit with my sister and 8 days later to fly home after my sister's funeral has still not quite registered completely.

I have to tell you about Texas and the people who live there. All I can say is AWESOME, WONDERFUL, LOVING, CARING, people with a very deep connection to God and religion. In my entire life, I have NEVER (and I mean never!!) met people who give more to a complete stranger than the people in Texas! Now don't get me wrong, the bugs are huge and ugly, the heat and humidity are unbearable (107 degrees! UGH!), and the water... I couldn't even drink the coffee or eat waffles made with the water! I guess I am spoiled with the water here in Minnesota. But I can honestly tell you that the people more than make up it all. I have many, many stories to tell about the wonderful people who I encountered but today I want to tell you about Dana.

Before Laurette passed away, we knew it was going to happen. We also knew that little Matthew (my handsome nephew) was going to need a suit. So I was sent to search for a suit, you know a shirt, jacket, pants, tie, socks and shoes. This should not be to difficult right?? There was a Wal Mart a few miles away. I found shoes and socks but when I went to find pants, shirt and jacket, none could be found but the people at Wal Mart told me that Kohl's would have what I needed and they where nice enough to give me directions. So, off I went. Now mind you at this point I have not really accepted that my sister is dying not have I cried. I got to Kohl's and am thinking that this can't be that difficult. I get Tyler suits twice a year and it runs me about $30 - $40 for a jacket, pants, vest, tie, and shirt. (It's an all-in-one purchase normally done at JC Pennys) I am searching Kohl's everywhere and I finally find the little boys suits. The jacket alone in on sale for $90.00. No this is not a typo...Ninety dollars!! Now it's not that I won't pay that but it is not what I was expecting. I stood in the middle of Kohl's and started to bawl. I knew it wasn't the jacket, it was everything else. But I couldn't stop crying. I left the store and went to my car and sat in it crying for about 20 minutes. When I was okay to drive, I drove back to the house...empty handed. No suit. When I walked in the door, I was greeted by one of the VITAS (hospice) employees. We had many people come into the house from the hospice company but I had not yet met this one. She could tell I had been crying and asked me what was going on and how could she help. I explained everything that had happened in looking for this silly suit and she just wrapped her arms around me and held me while I cried again. We both knew I was not crying about the suit and even laughed about it. Her name was Dana and she had stopped to get my sister's signature on a Do Not Resuscitate form. She needed to go and get the doctor's signature on the form but said she would call me in a few hours and if she didn't have a suit at home for Matthew, she would come and get me and we would go find one. (It's hard to find stores when you have no idea where you are??!) About 30 minutes later Dana called and said, 'You are not going to believe where I am right now!' She then told me that when she left she had called the doctor and the doctor happened to be at one of the nearby stores and wanted her to meet her there. The store the doctor was at was a discount store for suits and dresses. They had complete suits there for $40.00. Name brand suits for $40.00. What size did I need? She bought a size 10 (which I asked for) and a size 12 (just in case) and brought them over to the house the next morning. And you guessed it...she wouldn't take a single penny from me. No matter how hard I tried, she refused! This was a complete stranger less than 24 hours before. She did not previously know my sister, she didn't know any of the family. She was an angel sent to me when I needed her most and I am forever grateful. I will someday find a way to repay her if only to pass the gesture of kindness on to someone else!

As I end my post today, I ask you to look deep into your hearts and give. Give to someone who needs it most. It may be a stranger, it may be an enemy, it may be a family member or even a friend. But it will profoundly effect that person for the rest of their life. If we could all do one kind thing to one person each day, what a wonderful world this would be.

Blessings,