Just Another Reason Why I Will Never Be Rich....

Her name is Jessica.  She is yet another reason I will not ever be rich.  She also reminds me of something I really like about myself.

Big Boy B crawled out of his for the first time 3 days after he turned 18 months.  That night he did it 3 more times right in front of me.  That was also the night he started sleeping in a big boy bed.  His crib has remained in a corner of his room and many nights he asked to sleep in it over his new bed.  "I wan' Boonie bed,"  he would say at bedtime.  I resisted calling his new bed a "Big Boy Bed" because well, B is my baby and I do not want to push him into that "big boy" territory any earlier than necessary.  Regardless, I have been successful in keeping him out of the crib since that night. 

Last week Hunt put B's beautiful baby crib on Craigslist.  It did not take long to sell and last night a 7 week old baby, Riley, spent his first night in B's crib.  I hope he had sweet dreams.  Jessica is Riley's mom.  She looked very young and Riley was her second son.  She looked like any young mother from a small town in Texas.  Jessica told me they lived way out in the country, it took them about an hour to get to downtown Austin.  They were driving a Chevy Dooley truck- a good indication that she was telling the truth. 

I instantly recognized the exhaustion in her eyes and the love on her face as she inspected the crib.  I fought the urge to hug her and instead I pointed out the minor points she may see as imperfections like where Boone started cutting his first teeth.  I ran my fingers over the teeth scrapes and got a little emotional.  I told her I could have painted over them but I did not want to do that.  I couldn't do that.  She gave me a slight smile and tilted her head to me.  I could tell she understood what I was feeling.

Jessica and her husband decided to make the crib part of their family.  H could not be home when they came by last night so I was handling the transaction alone. She asked if I would take $10 less than our asking price.  I agreed and her husband started taking the crib apart; I left the room. 

Long story short: I not only took $10 less than the asking price I also packed her a bag full of B's baby clothes to take with them.  She was dumbfounded when I pulled out the bag of clothes.  "Don't you have family that needs this?" she asked.  I explained that I knew a lot of people who may need them but she had crossed my path today and she could take them if she wanted them.  Tears filled her eyes.  She and I sat down like old friends and we went through the clothes. 

H got home, I told him about the transaction.  I also told him about me giving her all the clothes.  "Weren't you taking those to the resale shop for credit?" he asked.  "I was," I responded with a smirk.  Jessica needed the clothes and I was in a position to help.  As I told her, I would rather give things to people I know are grateful and will use them than sell them just to make a few bucks.  We are on this Earth to help each other along our paths.  Last night my path crossed with Jessica's for a reason.

I come from a long line of givers and I am thrilled I inherited that family trait.  My Nannny would be proud.  I like that and I wish Jessica a good night's sleep.