This Post is For You

Thank you.  We are extremely grateful for your contributions to the Christmas Bike Fund.  The only thing better than seeing the delight on every smiling face who received a bike would've been having you see it too.  

But wait.  You can.  

Although our readers and those who responded to our call for help were not able to be present as an entire family rode to JD and Tara's house on Christmas morning to express their thanks, you can still share in the experience.  Thanks to George Eastman for spear heading the first snapshot camera and to Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs for making it possible for me to have a personal computer.

Last week while you were clicking the donate button, JD was out shopping.  He hooked up a twelve foot trailer to his tire service truck and did not return home until his mission to find nine bicycles in varying sizes and styles was accomplished.  By mid afternoon his garage held a colorful chorus line of shiny new bikes (which you helped him buy).

There they remained until Christmas morn when JD and Tara crept out of their garage and down the street guiding bicycle after bicycle to it's new home in a yard six houses away.

He-man and I were on our way to JD's to inspect Santa's midnight delivery when we rounded the corner to find two tiny people coming out their front door to discover a rainbow of bicycles stretched across the sidewalk.  I made He-man stop the car so I could jump out and snap off this picture.  I think I scared them. (sorry, little tikes).

I got back in the car immediately and we drove off, hoping I didn't dampen their surprise.  As we were in JD's kitchen drinking coffee and squeezing babies.....

JD and I went outside to see if the rest of the crew had found their bikes when a most grateful recipient rolled into the yard.  The stream of a tear still marked his cheek as he hugged JD and told him thanks for the cool, awesome, tweaked-out bike.  

Little by little more riders appeared until they filled the driveway where JD had set up a check station - filling tires with adequate air, tightening bolts, adjusting seats and moving handle bars.  

When the customer line backed up, He-man jumped in to help.  I felt like I was at one of those drive through detail shops, where you drive your car up and somebody appears to wash your windows, somebody else vacuums the carpet, someone else is checking your oil and another somebody is filling up the empty windshield cleaner jugs.

Soon everyone who was inside was outside, visiting with the family, learning every one's names and exchanging hugs.  I was catching as many amazing moments on film that I could manage.  Unfortunately, I can not post all the beautiful faces as some of the children are foster children and are not allowed to have their pictures published.  So I have decided to blur them all except for mom who gave me permission and who  hopped on a bike herself to ride down and tell JD and Tara how grateful she was for their gift.

Mom also told us that she was one of several recipients to have her lay-away items paid off. She said she had a balance of $200.00 plus dollars to pay when K-Mart called her and said that her balance had been paid down to 83 cents.  Seems that a few Christmas Angels helped Santa out this year and took it upon them selves to pay off tens of thousands of dollars in local stores' layaway departments.

Must have been the first time that her kids had heard about it because when mom heard their surprised reactions she said, "Now don't you all get used to this!  This was a once in a lifetime miracle." 

I liked that mom didn't expect more.  I liked that she was very grateful for what had been given.  I liked that she had spent  Christmas eve at her church handing out collected food and gifts to others in need.  I liked that I saw her smile and learned her name. And I really like that now you have met her too.

41.  We are grateful for you.

I hope your Tuesday will lead you to places you never thought you'd go.  I hope you meet someone new who moves something inside your heart.  I hope a miracle is coming your way.