About A Sweetheart

I can't remember exactly when or how we became friends. In fact, my earliest memories of her are when I first began attending, at age 23, the church that she was born into, yet one of the first I had ever even been in. She was a few years younger, not many, but enough to separate our live's paths. My husband and I (just starting to date) were the ONLY people in "College & Career," and she was finishing up high school, the only child of a single mother who has taught Sunday School to all three of my children.

I remember she seemed a lot different from me. I was more athletic; she was (and still is!) very petite. She is a gifted singer, arguably the best in our church; I'm fairly sure that musical notes are named after letters, though I'm not sure which ones. She endured a sometimes hard upbringing, though amongst much extended family. My life was more Beaver Cleaver, but I had only my immediate family in close proximity.

I remember her getting married and giving birth. Her daughter endured an emergency entry into this world followed by a precarious few weeks. And I prayed for them because they were a part of my church family, though I still didn't REALLY know her that well. She was much better friends with my sister-in-law, though they have now mostly lost touch.

But somewhere along the lines, we became really great friends. We have done the whole swap kids, drop-hints-to-the-other's-hubby, go on group vacations, slumber party at each other's houses and at camp kinds of things by now. And though this year has brought more learning curves than time together to hang out, we can now always pick up wherever we left off the last time.

As I said, she is a really great friend.

Friday, I discovered just how great.

My son had a TERRIBLE week! The kind that saddens you as a parent to realize that your child is getting old enough to endure the kinds of hurts that you can no longer alleviate. The kind that you can't just distract him from by pointing out all of the completely unrelated good in his life. The kind that we ALL must eventually go through in life in order to grow, but boy does it stink!

Yeah, that kind.

A few days prior, Dalton had come home waving a piece of paper he had received only minutes earlier at the end of his school day. It was a permission slip to a field trip and I haven't seen him so excited about something pertaining to school in quite some time. (For some reason this year seems to be dragging for all of us and my kiddos are just ready for the Summer break!) ALL HE HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR DAYS was this field trip. And he had a special request - that I chaperon. At 11 years old, requests like that aren't as frequent as they used to be, what with exercising his independence and all. So I didn't even think about it. I may have to clear something else on my calendar, but I was going.

Or so I thought. The past few weeks have been excruciatingly full of so many of the kinds of things I'd rather not be dealing with, but have to. And so I forgot to return my paperwork. My friend in the school office filled it out for me over the phone and covered my money until I could pay her back on Monday, but I NEGLECTED TO REMEMBER TO TELL HER TO CHECK ME AS A CHAPERON. It was my fault. And because the nature of the field trip involved having reservations, it couldn't be changed.

UGH!!!!

I explained everything to Dalton and he was so mature in his understanding, but all that morning, I just didn't feel right. He's such a great kid that he ALWAYS IS understanding, so much so that he probably gets taken advantage of too much. He's always the one who doesn't get the candy when there aren't enough to go around because he will go without and not complain. So I'm very conscious that I don't want to always assume that he's O.K with things, just because he will force himself to be. There are times when you let your children suffer disappointment that can not be helped because you realize it must be God's way of helping them to mature. Then there are times as a Mom when you just KNOW that you need to move Heaven and Earth to come through! So I called the field trip venue to see about showing up on my own. I wouldn't be able to be seated in the same section as the school group, but they were able to get me the closest table near to them. The only problem was the excursion involved lunch. Though I would be close enough to be seen by my son for him to know I made the effort, I would not be close enough for interactional fellowship. I would have to eat alone, but I REALLY didn't want to. (I will eat alone with a book, but I didn't want to be submerged in anything that distracted me from my son and being attuned to his reactions to our unconventional setup.)

So I called Melissa. Twenty minutes before the field trip was to start. At work - at a job that she JUST started. After a decade of staying at home with her kids.

This job became necessary because of the many things going on in her family right now that have turned their lives upside down from resembling anything that it was mere months ago. Health problems, which led to financial problems, which led to family issues.

But she came. And I could scarcely keep from crying when she walked in. When my son saw me there at the field trip, his eyes said it all. I will never forget the look of appreciation on his gorgeous, tanned, freckled face. I'm pretty sure I had the same look when she showed up. With all that she has going on in her life, she didn't hesitate to come LITERALLY the minute I needed her, and helped me to turn my precious son's week around.

Thank you, Melissa. You're an awesome friend!