I love my community

As most people did growing up I always talked about getting out of this town, and moving away to bigger and better things.  Anyone who grew up in small town USA or a small town anywhere knows what I mean when I say you feel like your suffocating.  Your parents know what you did before you got home, heck sometimes they knew what you did before you even did it.  As a teenager the beauty of a small town sometimes is overlooked for what it is worth.  Don't get me wrong I also think moving away to better things is a brave thing to do and staying is even braver.  I left for a few years and tried the big city living.  I have to say I failed at it miserably.  I was way to trusting of people, a quality from not having to be guarded living in a small town.  Don't get me wrong I met some great people while I lived away, and some that had impact on my life.  But big city life just wasn't for me and I moved back to small town USA. 

Right after I moved back I met Joe and we started dating.  Joe took to long to ask me to marry him, almost to long to be honest.  We live in a town we both swore we didn't want to live in.  I remember when we called the real estate agent about seeing the house his words were you know where that house is at right?  We did but went anyway and ended up buying it.  As karma would have it we live 2 streets away from the house I grew up in and in the town I swore I would never go back to.  As an adult I have a complete different view of it and as a mother another view of it.  Life in a small town can be good.  People help each other out in ways I think get over looked in the city.  Neighbors watch out for your children, keep an eye on your house when your out of town and know your name and your story, and care.

When Joe and I decided to adopt and finally told people and were willing to ask for help my eyes were opened up to that.  When we started to plan fundraisers to help with the adoption expenses my heart and soul were both so overwhelmed with the support and generosity of people, not only once but twice.  They we so great in donating items for our fundraisers plus coming and supporting us at them.  They were great successes because of it and helped with some our expenses.  For that I will forever be thankful and will always try to pay it forward when I can. 

A few weeks ago I was contacted about giving some information on how I organized our events and stuff, a friend from high school was planning the same type of event for a co-worker of hers, who had been diagnosed with lung cancer.  I gathered up the supplies I had left from our past events and shared with her what I thought could help.  I have to say when we got to the event this past weekend I was blow away!  The way the community came together to support this woman and her family was amazing.  The way everyone came together and donated so much time, money and effort to make it a success was nothing short of amazing.  All because 1 just 1 co-worker said I feel like I need to help this amazing woman and her family a difference was made.  Her idea snowballed and grew into something I don’t think anyone knew it could be but hoped it would be.  The community was able to raise over $10,000.00 on a Saturday afternoon to help with her medical expenses.  I think that is God’s work without question. 

I ask that everyone please keep her in your prayers for God’s healing hand to touch her now.  She has 4 young daughters and a family who love her very much!

So you see it wasn’t just because of how they touched our life and helped us to bring Noah to our family, but they are helping others.  There are good people in this world, and if everyone acted on just 1 thought they have like my friend did to help someone this world would be such a better place for all of us!

Love

Melinda