Shopping is not my thing.
When we first moved to this area, the area mall was my client. I would go to visit my person and then stroll the stores at lightening speed.
One particular day, right before school started, I went into the GAP to purchase "soft shirts" for "the button." There they were. A young wife, two young children and a husband in a wheel chair. They were shopping away. I didn't stare but the image stayed with me...cause I wondered. "Would I bring my husband out and about if he were in the same state?" Most likely not.
I went through the stores and when I got in parking lot, there they were...she was putting him in the van.
Again, wow.
Weeks later, I was invited to a Mary Kay party. The hostess was a woman whose husband had ALS . Never did I see a woman more worthy of a foundation and blush sale.
Months went by and again, I saw "family" at the school. The "button's" school. I couldn't believe it. The hostess from the Mary Kay party was the mom in the GAP.
We lived in a small town and I knew some people but I did not know their stories. I did not know their passion's.
Month's later, the radio station I managed was asked to help sponsor the ALS walk. I jumped at the chance. I kept thinking of the "family in THE GAP."
Later, I spent the day with the lady's sister at a band concert. And during that crisp, fall day, I learned of a love story between a Marine and his wife and how ALS changed their lives. I listened to the sister tell about how her sister went in front of congress to speak about ALS. Wow, it takes courage to be a mom and wife. It takes amazing courage to speak in front of congress. It takes courage to be ill and still participate in your kid's lives.
It wasn't about school shopping that day...it was about being with the kids and the wife, while he still could. It was about being a family, a typical family. It was about vows, sickness and health...good times and bad. Commitment.
I have been in marketing all my professional life. The ALS bucket challenge began when former pro golfer Greg Norman challenged NBC Morning Show Host, Matt Lauer to a ice bucket challenge or donate money to the favorite charity.
Who knew? All successful marketing campaigns begin with Awareness. Who knew? A bucket of cold water and millions of dollars.
I have been challenged twice by two dear friends. I chose to call the 800 number and give them my debit card number.
A small act.
I think about that family who is still living with ALS. I see him in his driveway on sunny days basking in the sunshine. A great feeling.
I have also seen two other families raise money and raise awareness in our area for the same disease that rocked their worlds. Two families raising awareness and raising monies for the cure for ALS. Bringing goodness to the world.
And I think about what I felt that day when I saw them in the GAP. It was all about the family.
On Thursday, my heart was rocked with very sad news about a dear friend of mine.
If you want to really do some soul searching, drive in your car, in silence. The kids were sleeping and I was thinking. About my friend's news, the ALS challenge, my life, my kids, cancer, money, my aging body, I took the world on in my little gray Honda.
Friday, off we went to Raleigh, a trip to the awesome ortho, a fabulous baby shower on Friday night, nail appointments, breakfast and a trip to Wally World for school supplies.
Saturday was here. The big shopping day. I would have rather had a corn cob stuffed up my nose but it was here and they were excited. We were going to the big mall. You know your kids don't get out much when they are excited to see an escalator. Every person in North Carolina was at this mall. Seriously. They were there. It was awful. Way too many people for me. Too much for me. They were having a ball. I was having a panic attack.
Anyway, they each had "budgets" and a list. Walker had a smaller budget, he had hit the mother load with a hand-me-down-bag and Addie had a bigger list, bigger budget and each had their own funds they had worked for. Seriously, they asked me one hundred times how much money they had in the budget.
We arrived. Addie scored her VANS. And then it was Crazy 8's (biggest sale ever), CHAMPS for Walker's shoes, BELK (huge sale), more BELK (even more sales) and then Addie discovered she had extra money and wanted to score a pair of Nike's. And when she still had $20 left, she wanted to stop at the GAP and see if she could find two shirts to go with her new shorts.
Afterward, I was done. I tried to convince them to go to a nice sit down restaurant, but instead, they opted for Chick-Fillet. It was over. I survived.
We headed for home.
As we pulled into the driveway, there was Franklin and the "button" and even my two neighbors. The frenzy began, the pulling out of the bags from the "big" mall with the escalator.
And then came the big question? "Mom, where is the big BELK bag?" It was gone.
$482 dollars worth of back to school items gone. Vanished. The frenzy continued, only this time it was calling the mall.
I was sick. Sick. I didn't have and extra $500 dollars to replace everything, I didn't have the time even if I did have the cash, ugh. WE went into CRAZY 8 and everything was perfect for Addie. Everything. Walker was so proud to buy his "own outfit". The whole weekend was great. Great bargains, great stuff. They were going to be styling.
And I was so mad at myself. I kept saying, "let me carry the bags." Nope. They were too excited to give me the bags. They carried all the big bags while I carried a bag of two clementine scented hand soaps from The Body Works. No back to school shoes, no new outfit, nothing. They did have school supplies.
I felt like such a loser. I didn't sleep all night. And I couldn't help but think, "what kind of person felt like they hit pay dirt with size 10 shorts from Crazy *'s and pink Nike's?" It wasn't like it was a bag with a COACH purse or Costa sunglasses.
I will admit that I acted like a jerk. I was so upset. My kids had a great time. They were excited. They spent their money wisely and they were proud. Ugh, I was a mess. And I was so mad that they didn't listen to me and let me carry the bags. The mall was packed and I knew something like this would happen. I was so mad that I let them do what they wanted. It was horrible.
I mean the first day of school is a backpack, lunch bag, tennis shoe and new outfit fashion show. I just felt so bad. All the sparkle of the weekend was gone.
I had Sunday planned. A commercial shoot, trip to the store, make family dinner and then chilling. Instead, I was just consumed with where the bag went.
I could not sleep thinking about this situation. I just couldn't accept our stuff was gone or where it went.
The two ladies who greeted us Saturday night called me Sunday morning and said, "we are taking your kids to Belk. Get them ready." I said no. I wasn't giving up.
Sunday, I called Guest Services Department in mall and BELK again. Nothing. And then it hit me, I called THE GAP.
The BIG BELK bag was there!
Joy. No, my kids did not start school with new outfits. But, they made it through the day They made it just fine.
Walker cracked up when we told him that about the time the other kids start wearing old clothes, his would show up in the UPS box and his new clothes would stand out more.
Somebody with a heart, and probably kids, found the bag and turned it in. My niece, who is 11 months pregnant (well, she looks it) went and got the bag for us.
Somebody good did the right thing. They have no idea what a difference they made in two people's lives and I didn't jump off a bridge. My neighbors did the right thing too.
In the car this morning, Addie asked, "when are you going to do the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge?"
I asked, "what is ALS?"
Her answer stunned me. She knew, she knew all about ALS.
I asked her how she knew so much about ALS and she said, "when everyone was doing it, I didn't understand what ALS was so I googled it. My friend's aunt has it. I wish I would not have spent all my money shopping, I would give some money to ALS."
"Addie, I am not doing the challenge, I called and donated to ALS."
She responded, " I feel badly that I bought an extra pair of shoes...I should have given too."
I didn't feel like a loser anymore, I felt like a winner.
And for all the people who dumped ice cold water on their heads, or wrote checks, who lived with ALS, who loved those with ALS and for the person who turned in a BIG BELK BAG, you are winners too.
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