Monday's Making a Difference

Today’s “Making a Difference” person is actually two people.

I met “R” almost four years ago when we moved to the Atlanta area. I picked her name off of the internet to be my scrapbook supplies consultant simply because she offered so many crops every month. It was just plain luck that I found her at all. She was so welcoming and friendly, it didn’t take long to get to know her.



"A" is on the left, "R" is in the middle.
May 2010

Six to nine months later, she invited me to join her and “A” at a sandwich shop for lunch. I remember thinking it was sort of out of the blue since we weren’t really “lunching” friends at that point. She said I had met “A” at crops (where a bunch of women get together and scrapbook together), but I did not remember her. It didn’t take me long to get to know “A” either. They invited me to join them for lunch the next week and Thursdays at the sandwich shop became our “usual thing”.

A year later, when I decided to homeschool Brielle, I asked if it was OK if I still met them for Thursday lunches even though I would now have Brielle in tow. “Of course she can come, too!” they practically said in harmony.

“R” and “A” were so welcoming to Brielle. “A” always greets Brielle with a hug. “R” always gives her special praises when Brielle wears a shirt with a “special mouse” (“R’s” favorite place on earth!). Talking about “the mouse” is sort of “their thing” and Brielle usually wants to wear one of her mouse shirts on Thursdays just for “R”.  

Through most of lunch, Brielle just silently munches on her ham and cheese sandwich. Nevertheless, I know “R” and “A” do not think of her as just being an appendage of me. I know they hold her in a special place. They demonstrate that at every meal.



"A" is on the left, "R" is standing next to me.
Ausut 2011

I have had Brielle tag along with me to lunches with friends many times now that we homeschool. What is so special is that they both speak directly to Brielle. They don’t look to me to interpret unless Brielle wants to tell a story. And Brielle usually wants to tell them a story at some point! They speak to her in age appropriate ways. They ask her questions and laugh at her silly ways. They have come to know Brielle and I know they truly love her.

Over sandwiches and chatter on those Thursdays, the four of us have developed a special bond. We share, laugh and sometimes cry. We have held one another up through our teenagers’ rebellions, illnesses, broken bones, medical procedures, and successes. We have supported one another as we complained about our husbands’ idiosyncrasies, their job losses, job changes, and moments of thoughtfulness to their wives and families. We have been there for each other through the life changes that three years of Thursdays sees. Their Christian love and support gives me strength and my time with them is usually the highlight of my week.

In recent months, for a variety of reasons, we have fallen out of the habit of getting together for Thursday lunches. I know it is temporary and I look forward to when our lunches together can continue.

“R” and “A” are huge blessings to my life and to Brielle’s in very special ways. I know that God made our paths cross for a reason.