Wings

So a lady in my book club just ended up ... sort of emergency adopting her six nieces/nephews, all at once, into her tiny little house. The kids need clothes, food, everything, four of them have lice, etc. It's a huge mess. The woman that runs the book club sent around an email, and people are giving clothes or toys if they had kids that age, or money for gift cards if they have it. However, my BFF just lost her job (that she moved to my city for, about 3 months ago) and so I am trying to hold onto my poor little pennies in case she needs help. She doesn't have credit cards to fall back on, which is brilliant of her in the long run (although she probably doesn't feel like that right now) but it is more stressful and she's in a panic and feels like a failure etc. So I am going to be her Emergency Fund. I know, I know, I can hear the groans and foreheads being slapped all the way from here. This is not a fiscally wise thing to do. But she's family, and she needs me, and I had to have Chase/Citi/whoever pay *my* rent for a few months once upon a time, and if it comes down to it I'd like to be able to buy her a little time. I know she won't rest until she finds a job, because it makes her insane to not have one.

In any case, I am kind of holding my breath at the moment because of that, and trying not to spend just in case it is needed. Of course this will work out beautifully if she gets a job fast and doesn't need a dime - great saving motivation! But then it means I'm already stretched, and I had to tell the book club leader that. Of course I don't like admitting that either. I also just don't like saying no when someone needs help. Or, well, ever. But I said I'd ask my mom, who might have the right size diapers or something, extra stuff from daycare kids.

Mom got on the horn through the Mom Network, and apparently is collecting a whole slew of coats, clothes, and stuff to be mailed over for kids of all ages (since the emergency adoptees run from 7 weeks to junior high age). She's also giving a $100 (!!) gift card. I wanted to make sure I hadn't guilted her into it or anything, and of course that was not the case. She said that she feels lucky to be able to help. Once when I was a kid, a friend of hers and her son were down on their luck, and Mom took them grocery shopping. The friend never forgot it, and neither did Mom. I think if she had millions of dollars, she'd just make a job out of going around and doing things like that.

The best part of the story, though, was when Mom told me to send an email to the book club friend and tell her what a wonderful thing she was doing by taking in all those kids. "She's earning her wings!" Mom said.

My Mom must have so many wings :)