2014 adopted families

[Ms Grumpy]

Here is Marcaela's request for help:

In need of some help with my family so that's why I'm creating an account to see if I can get some assistance. I just moved and need to start all over. I have 2 little boys 7 and 4 and I am not employed, but I do hair at my home and play drums to make ends meet. Thanks in advance.

 

[Ms Grumpy]

Today I took Marcaela's shopping for her family. This picture may not look like much but she had pc's, pants, shirts, slippers, toys, stocking stuffers and more in her cart.

She asked me to thank everyone for their generosity. Without you her boys would not be having a Christmas.

 

[Ms Grumpy]

Here is Sonya's story...

I am a single mother of 2 children one who is a toddler and the other who has special needs. I moved this past year so that my children could be in a better environment and I am having a hard time with bills and providing the basic needs for my family.

 

[Inscrutable]

She asked me to thank everyone for their generosity. Without you her boys would not be having a Christmas.

Nor without you. Thank you!

 

[Ms Grumpy]

I was able to take Sonya shopping this evening. She was a very articulate woman and is so proud of her children. Her 2 1/2 yr old can count to 20 (I saw a video on her phone) knows his ABC's and is a little cutie. Her older boy has a learning disability and she has him in a great school. I learned that she also works at a school with learning disabled children so she is available for her older son.

Sonya had currently been through the flood that devastated many families in the Metro Detroit area. Even with needs for her home she was focused on taking care of her children. She was a smart shopper, looking for the best deals so she could get the biggest bang for the buck.

After we loaded her car I gave her a hug and she started crying. She said she was going to try to log on to AK and thank everyone for making this a wonderful Christmas for her family.

 

[bobabode]

You're the best of the best Ms. Grumpy even if you drive something other than a Ford.

My Yooper Gramps worked in ol' Henry's machine shop in Dee-troit back in the day before he moved out here to California in the '30s so I guess it's in my genes.

 

[Ms Grumpy]

Bobabode I hate to admit it, but I have owned 2 Fords in my lifetime. Just a Chevy girl at heart.

Grumpy and I have 3 more families that we will be working with this week. One of which is a retired vet and his wife who are having a tough time. Another family the father is a veteran who is dealing with medical issues while trying to support his family.

I have been busy searching for the families that have the greatest needs and looking for seniors and veterans who need people like the members of AK to stand up and take care of them.

 

[4-2-7]

Bobabode I hate to admit it, but I have owned 2 Fords in my lifetime. Just a Chevy girl at heart.

Grumpy and I have 3 more families that we will be working with this week. One of which is a retired vet and his wife who are having a tough time. Another family the father is a veteran who is dealing with medical issues while trying to support his family.

I have been busy searching for the families that have the greatest needs and looking for seniors and veterans who need people like the members of AK to stand up and take care of them.

Miss G your doing awesome and it must warm your heart when you take people out to go shopping.:yes:

 

[Ms Grumpy]

I received this text from Sonya yesterday.....

Hi, I wanted to thank you again for all the generosity you, your husband and your members have shown me. Words can't explain how grateful I am. You lifted the burden a huge burden and I'm thankful that I winner have to disappoint my kids. I will send you guys pics when they open their gifts!

 

[Ms Grumpy]

I wish I could bottle the emotions that I feel when working with a family. I would share it with everyone who has helped to keep Christmas alive for the families.

 

[Inscrutable]

Next to feeding those who cannot do so themselves, a happy child at Christmas is the best feeling!
It's easy to forget we all live such a life of privelege and there are 6 billion people who would trade places in a heartbeat!

 

[4-2-7]

Next to feeding those who cannot do so themselves, a happy child at Christmas is the best feeling!
It's easy to forget we all live such a life of privelege and there are 6 billion people who would trade places in a heartbeat!

Amend to that:thmbsp:

 

[Ms Grumpy]

This morning I took a young woman named Laporshee shopping for her 2 kid's, a daughter and a son. She was another mom who made sure that her children got cloths, pajamas and underwear before she shopped for toys.

 

[Ms Grumpy]

Once I posted this picture and looked at the shopping cart I realized how it looks like a bunch of goodies. Well I guess it is, kinda. If you look at the top of the cart you can see the hangers with clothing on them. You can see some of the toys. And on the top are some goodies that she can put into the stockings for her children. She does not like to give her children candy so that is why there are cookies and poptarts.

I know that sometimes I may post things that you may think are silly, but I want to try to give you the reason for the purchases that are made and the reasoning behind it. I just want to share as much of the experience that I can with you.

 

[luvvinvinyl]

I'm home sick, so I won't be able to go, but I will tell you folks that there is no better feeling than when you start to tear up when you meet a family, and help them get lifted up.

No person is so tall as when he (or she) stoops down to help a child.

Thank you, Nancy.

 

[Ms Grumpy]

Ernie it was always a pleasure when you went with us to a families home. The feelings that I would feel in my heart I could see in your eyes. You always knew the right things to say to a family, especially those homes that we went to that had so little.

 

[Ms Grumpy]

I am very sorry that I am behind on posting on the families. I have been working with 7 families this past week. As many of you know in the past two years I have found that we can help more families when I streamlined the process.

What that means is that instead of spending an hour on the phone finding out what each child likes and needs, spending 2-3 hours shopping, bringing the presents home and spending 2 hours wrapping them, then contacting the family to find out the best time to deliver the presents, which usually wasn't for 2-3 days, then actually delivering the presents. This process usually took between 6-12 hours.

Now I contact the familiy and talk to them a little about what they need and want. Then I make arrangements to meet them at a store where they can shop for the items that they know that their children and familiy need and can use. The whole process can take 2-4 hours total. And on days like today, I met two families this evening and shopped for both of them in less than 3 hours. Sure I had about 1 1/2 travel time but the whole process took less than 5 hours for 2 families.

This may sound not as meaningful but I still have the opportunity to connect with the moms and dads and find out what their children are like. And when we are done I get the Thank you's, the hugs and see the tears as these families are so grateful for the generosity of strangers.

 

[Ms Grumpy]

Nelson and Stephanie's story...a veterans story..

I am a man, a partner, a provider but most important is I am DAD !

My name is Nelson and I have a beautiful family. I bought a house a few years back and sadly it was ripped apart and I had to start repairing from the bottom up. The house is still no where near done and we don't have a kitchen and the heating is just now in place enough to be livable.

I have been living here trying to fix up for my family. For the last year my family sadly couldn't live with me because of the house condition. We are finally all together again all under one roof! It is hard not having things but we sure make the best of it !

Sadly and unfortunately I, as sole provider, am sick and we are working with a team of doctors to try and find out what is wrong and get a treatment plan. I am being treated for fibromyalgia and more tests are being done to figure out a muscle disease the doctors believe I have. With all of this I struggle to move, I hurt to the point of not being able to make it to work many days a week and when I do the pain is unreal.

I am not looking for sympathy I am simply trying to explain why I, as the man, my family looks to for support, for food to make holidays special and to put a roof over their heads etc. is struggling to make ends meet and I am having to ask for help.

 

[Ms Grumpy]

Here is a shopping cart pic from my shopping trip with Nelson and Stephanie

 

[Ms Grumpy]

This shopping cart may not look like a lot because we continued to shop after this picture was taken. They made sure that their children each got the toys that they liked. You can see a corner of the Star Wars toys that their son wanted, they have a little one who has a hand me down kitchen and they got her a tea set and dishes for the kitchen and a baby doll. The oldest daughter is an artist and somewhere under there is sketch pads and colored pencils and tracing paper.

Nelson and Stephanie were very concerned about what they could get for the home that they needed considering that the only sink in the house that they can use is the bathroom sink. They did pick up a strainer and large sandwich maker which they both agreed will come in very handy for preparing grilled sandwiches for the kids, cooking eggs and maybe even pancakes. Currently they are working mostly out of a crock pot, toaster, and oven.

I know that both of them wanted to be there to shop for their kids but I could see the pain that Nelson was in almost immediately. He said that he could endure anything for the happiness of his children. These were two very sweet people who have been dealt an aweful hand. I am so glad that we were able to help them this holiday season.

Thank you.