friends and neighbors

    Last year, we needed a ramp.  The Baptist Church has a group called The Baptist Men that will build ramps for those who need it.  I am not quite sure how they found out about us but I have a suspicion that they found out through many sources.  So we had a ramp built and now Jarrad can get into the house.  As far as ramps go, it is quite beautiful.  When you have a ramp, you start to see them everywhere so I feel like I can say it is very pretty with some confidence.  But we needed a way to get to the ramp since it was at the back of the house and going across uneven grass/dirt in a wheel chair is not easy or fun.
    Again, yeah for having friends!  A friend got us a deal on a concrete sidewalk that goes around the house to said ramp.  Again, looks very nice.  But the friend told us that we should probably get some dirt to make sure the sidewalk STAYS nice ie doesn't crack, as it is on a slope.  At the time, I was still in survival mode and pushed that chore off till spring.
    Guess what - it is spring.  Well, ok, not yet but it is time to start thinking of planting grass seed.  So we ordered dirt and hey, we need mulch so we ordered that too.  Me, I thought that they could just dump it on the grass.  Dirt on the side of the driveway where the majority of it needed to go and the mulch on the other side of the drive way.  Drive way is then clear and I would move both piles around at my leisure.

    I am so smart that way! 

    "Ma'am, If I try to dump this there, I will probably crack your driveway."

     I am so dumb!

      Great.  So now, 2 big piles sit on my driveway.  And it is going to rain this week. Double great.   Time to get to work.  I borrow a wheelbarrow from a friend and get started on clearing the dirt.  The kids are thrilled and are "helping".  I know I should take the time to let them "help" but really, somethings are just faster when I do it. Fun for them sometimes equals frustration for Mommy.  
    I get up the next morning and start to work on the piles some more.  I am at it for a couple of hours when a friend walks by with her neighbor.  They head home and come back with shovels to help.  Another neighbor sees my good friend walking with shovels and sends her son to come and help. IN THE RAIN!  They decided that I needed a path to the front door and worked until there was a big one. I am so very grateful that they refused to take no for an answer. 
    I am so grateful for the help.  I am sure that the 20 something young man did not want to be out in the spitting rain helping a lady he didn't know but he cheerfully did it because his mom told him to.  And I didn't know my friend's neighbor but she pitched in anyway and when I tried to tell them it was "good enough", insisted on the path being wide enough so we could access the front door. It would have taken me a week to get this much done.  I still have a lot to do (obviously) but it is not so urgent at this point.  And I am SOOO glad that I had the help. 
    Really, I tried to get them to leave 3 times but they stayed.  I guess I feel that we are out of crisis mode and I need to do things by myself.  I kind of feel that everyone has their own homes and families so I shouldn't "bother" them if we need help.
     I think that I am wrong (yes, I said I was wrong - stop partying!).   If one of my friends needs help, I give it so why am I not allowing them the same option?  I need to get over myself.
    SO:  Today's lesson, boys and girls, is this: if you are willing to help your friends, then give them the same option to help you.  And if you have a real friendship, saying no is ok because we all know about families and "stuff" and understand what that means.
    There will be a test on Tuesday.