The Tipping FamilyRedefining Normal

This hit me really hard.

I will give you a little background information.  I am a Parent Educator at Windsor, a school in Northeast Columbia, where I work to try to step alongside of parents who have children in our child development program to help them with literacy, development, learning english, etc.  About 50% of our children are Hispanic, and one of my families in particular was expecting a new baby, and the mother went into the hospital to have the baby about a month ago.  She became very very sick and ended up in ICU on a ventilator, and things looked very dim.  Meanwhile, at home was her boyfriend and 3 kids, 2 years old, 4 years old, and 8 years old, and later the newborn ( who is completely healthy).  I kept in very close contact with this family, trying my best to help them with whatever they needed as they hurt and had needs.

Last Tuesday, this precious mother died.  When I got the call from our hispanic social worker, it felt like someone had just pulled away a little chunk of my heart, I hurt deeply for them.  For many reasons, in many ways.  I don’t understand, but God is sovereign.  You see, this mom carried that baby for 9 months, and never got to lay eyes on him, and this precious perfect baby never got to be held by his mommy, fed by his mommy, or kissed by his mommy.  You see, these other children saw their mom before she ever went into the hospital, but never again until she was being put to rest with Jesus.

Allen and I spent time with the girls, 4 and 8 years old the day/night after all had happened, and as we put them to bed, the oldest began to weep and moan.  I did not know what to do except for just hold her as tight as I could.  I can’t take away her pain.  When I look into these girls eyes, they are hurting, they are lonely, they miss their mommy.

Lastly, this family does not have much.  I watched people around the house drop change off to help pay for funeral costs.  I watched neighbors bring over food.  I watched people come into visitation bringing dollar bills they had made that day.  I watched as bags of diapers, formula, and clothes came into our school.  I watched as the last bit of money came together…and the family wept.  This was family.

All of this to say, please don’t take your life for granted.  Whoever it is…tell your parents you love them, tell your spouse you love them, tell your children you love them, tell your friends you love them, tell SOMEONE you LOVE THEM and how SPECIAL they are.