My friend Leslie was my rock today. She’s been here all week, and today when I got to the boxes that made me cry, she gently steered me from the room, and when I returned from running carpool, she was completely done with that room, wrapped, boxed, taped and labeled. It was a quiet act of love, and I am so grateful.
Carol brought me and the kids dinner, paper plates, plastic forks and disposable cups of Jello for Bean. That was after she had been packing my kitchen all day, and started on my food storage.
Emily brought special boxes and bubble wrap and spent the entire afternoon carefully wrapping up my wedding china (the only thing left if the kitchen) so that someday my daughter (or sons) can have a lovely serving for 10 of Lenox Federal Platinum.
Mo packed up my linens and modeled Beanie’s Snuggie on Twitter. She also got to see the Little House for the first time, and helped me get my Craigslist kitchen table in the front door. The new paint is very nice and fresh.
Ginette came and took Beanie and Abby to play at her house while I took Jeffrey to a Cub Scout meeting where he received his first merit badge and then the whole troop headed downtown for outside night ice-skating. For the first time in probably 10 years I strapped on some skates and took a few spins around the rink with my oldest boy. By the time we left, he had made it all the way around the rink without falling- it took all night, but he did it.
Marianne is taking my kids on Saturday to play at her place on the mountain, while the grown-ups get down to brass tacks and move the house. They will be happy and well loved while I, standing on the shoulders of giants, make a new home for them.
Half a dozen families have signed up to have us over for dinner from now until next Tuesday.
How does one ever, ever repay this kind of love? How does one say thank you in any meaningful way? The only way to even begin, is to make this a part of who I am, to knit it into the fabric of my soul , and be ready to lift others as I have been lifted.
Dandelion Mama 
“…the errand of angels is given to women…”
Heaven is smiling down on you and I am so grateful so many people have stepped up and answered unsaid prayers. You are loved. You will settle into your new “little house” and life will return to a new normal.
You are blessing those serving you by allowing them to serve you.
Your day will come when you can pass it on, but for now, it is your turn.
Actually the whole song is fitting…
1. As sisters in Zion, we’ll all work together;
The blessings of God on our labors we’ll seek.
We’ll build up his kingdom with earnest endeavor;
We’ll comfort the weary and strengthen the weak.
2. The errand of angels is given to women;
And this is a gift that, as sisters, we claim:
To do whatsoever is gentle and human,
To cheer and to bless in humanity’s name.
3. How vast is our purpose, how broad is our mission,
If we but fulfill it in spirit and deed.
Oh, naught but the Spirit’s divinest tuition
Can give us the wisdom to truly succeed.
I have been reading your posts for awhile. I have never commented before but I just wanted to say,you don’t have to repay. It is the beauty of love and friendship that has blessed you like this. My heart hurts for the pain that you are going through but I your strength shines through as well.
You enjoy the Little House and you turn it into the home that they will remember when they are adults. The memories are just around the corner.
Something I’ve learned, when you can’t carry any more, when you’ve done everything you can and reached a bottom you didn’t think you had, Heaven opens up its blessings so much so you can in no way repay it. It’s a way of showing you that He’s still there, He loves you. We love you from all the way over here. Wish I was there with you.
Reminds me of the beautiful scripture where Alma teaches his followers to have “hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another. . .And thus they became the children of God.”
When I was a kid we moved, and we spent one night in the empty new house, on the floor, in our sleeping bags. It was magical, everything was so big in its emptiness. We played tag, crawling on all fours, through the empty house. There was a sense of things changing, becoming new. I hope your first night in your new house is magical too!
so glad you have this support–both for the actual work help and also so you know that this is the kind of world you live in. i love your closing paragraph. i’m sure that one day you’ll be just the person to help another in a way no one else can.
Tracy, I’m so happy to hear about the great love and support you’re experiencing during this crazy time. I’m glad you get to see a smidge of the love and support that the rest of us, all over the country, wish we could be there to give you too. I’m excited to see how you make the Little House into a home.
Your last line is just right. The only way to really thank everyone is to show the same love to others when you are again able. I’m so happy you have the help you need.
You’ll be RS president. You just know it’s coming someday. (Not super soon, of course, but still…..)
You and your kids so deserve such love, Tracy. (And, your friends rock! I’m very impressed with their service and organization 🙂 )
One of these days you will be in a posistion to pay it forward multiple times. You’ll help pack boxes, or provide dinner, or tend kids. Learning to receive is as important as learning to give. You ward will be getting more blessings than the could ever comprehend. YOur words right now will someday help someone else.
I love how wards organize to help one of their own.
I agree with all these wonderful women who have already commented! It’s so good to be able to share the load that it might be light!
Happy Moving!
I agree with the wonderful comments above and just wanted to say that now is your time to take in the love being given. Your turn will come to pay it forward and when you do you might reach out to the people who have given so much to keep you going and let them know you remember. My neighbors kept me going as I suffered PPD after 2 babies and now each time I make meals for someone I think of them and try to send a quick email to say thank you again.Enjoy making your new house a home. If your attitude says that this is an adventure, then your children will follow your example.
I don’t know about repaying, but I DO know it’s really hard to come up with something to do for you when your ward beats us to the punch on everything!! lol
You have the best ward ever!!! How awesome are they to do all that for you and your kids.
I’m curious. Are you going to be living in the same ward? It sounds like they are a wonderful supportive group.
(Of course, if you have a new ward, I’m sure they will be good friends to you, too.)
=)
I got a little weepy reading this. I love that you are being well taken care of. Lots of love to you.
There can be no givers without receivers. Sometimes one is the giver; sometime one is the receiver. But once one has received in this magnitude, one’s giving is never again the same…