Growing Gormans: Strangers Who Care

My week started out on Sunday (duh) when I went to get my handicap permit from Dan's car. It was on the passenger side so that's the door I went to. His car was parked on the street so I had to walk on the grass between the sidewalk and the curb. Not a big deal, I do it all the time. I opened the door and got the permit. After closing the door and setting the alarm, I proceeded to step with my right leg and OUCH! My foot sank into a dip in the grass and my ankle twisted. I almost fell. It hurt, my ankle because I twisted it and my belly because I tensed up. I was OK within a few minutes, but it scared me. What if I had fallen? No one was around and I had put my purse in my car along with my cell phone before I went to Dan's car.

Getting it off my mind, I made my way to my parent's house and my Dad took a drive with me to Kohl's. I had a 30% off everything coupon that expires tomorrow (Friday) if I use my Kohl's charge. I can't resist the sale, especially because the 2 long sleeve maternity shirts I have will not be enough to get me through the fall and winter. I bought 2 long sleeve t-shirts, 1 3/4 sleeve shirt (that my Dad picked out), 2 cardigans, and a poncho. I saved $150 and got $20 Kohl's cash. Good shopping trip!

Because I had gotten the $20 Kohl's cash and still had the 30% off coupon, I decided to go back to Kohl's Monday. Before I went, I picked my Dad up and we went over to the VFW to leave a deposit to rent out a room for a welcome to the world party (in lieu of a christening) Dan and I will be throwing Lily in June. Yeah…I like to plan ahead. Anyway, after I dropped my Dad back home and sat outside to talk for a bit, I left to continue my shopping. I got 3 things for the price of just one, saving about $58. Love it! When I got to the line there were 2 people ahead of me. I was getting tired of standing and started to feel hot. One of the two people were called to a register. I moved up in line and an older couple came in line behind me. I continued to feel really uncomfortable and hot. I put my items over the pole they had for the line, took my sweater off, and I bent over resting my hands on my knees. I was not only hot now, but dizzy. I started to black out. As the woman in front of me got called up to a register, the couple behind me noticed there was something wrong. The husband asked if I was OK. I couldn't stand up straight and I just said that I was really hot. The gentleman held onto me saying that I needed to sit down. He noticed a wheelchair by the entrance/exit and told his wife to get it for me. She wheeled it over, took my sweater and purse out of my hands, and they both helped me into the wheelchair.

It was my turn to be rung up. The lady behind the register saw everything that was going on and did nothing. The nice couple got my items and rolled me over to the register saying that they will even roll me out to my car. All I kept saying was "sorry" and "thank you." Sitting down definitely helped. I cooled down a bit and when I got up to sign the credit card pad I knew I would be able to walk out to my car. The gentleman was hesitant to let me walk out by myself, but I assured him I was OK to do so and I thanked him again for his kindness.

How nice it is to know that there are people out there in this world that will help out a stranger in need. I wish I got their names and address, I would have liked to send them flowers and a thank you note.

So, I tell Dan all this and he's nervous to begin with, always worrying about me. I tend to be clumsy at times. So I vowed never to walk on the grass again during these last three months of pregnancy and to always take off layers of clothing when I'm in a store. I hope these things don't happen again because both times I was alone, except for the kind strangers at Kohl's who came to my rescue, but there won't always be a kind stranger to help. I gotta take better care of myself because I'm sharing my body with Lily and I never want anything bad to ever happen to her.

OK, speaking of the kindness of strangers, I saw this video this morning and it made me cry. Probably the pregnancy hormones, but really… if this doesn't get you going, then there may be something wrong with you.

This video shows us the importance to step in if something just doesn't seem right. Like my kind strangers stepped in when they saw I needed help, let's hope and pray that some kind stranger will help out a child. I was so glad to see the two guys run in to help and the other man in the car that was getting out to help. Our children are so vulnerable and people may have just thought that this little "brat" was saying "you're not my daddy" because he might have been her step father or something. "STRANGER!!!" should also be yelled out. Luckily this was just a news report, but it can and does happen and it's up to the community of strangers to know when to step in. Hey, better safe than sorry, right?