2 a.m. Sunday

I woke up about an hour ago, Sunday morning.

I went to bed limp as a rag doll 

5 p.m. Saturday evening.

I had been up since 5 a.m.  Saturday morning.

Saturday 6 a.m., headed over to help my friend Ann

"Annie"

with a garage sale.

A BIG ONE

She had been preparing for over a week.

She needs new flooring in her home,

and she also wanted to get some "order" to

her garage and storage shed.

Nothing special about that, but there is a special

back story I want to share.

This is the same Annie I asked

 you to pray for a while back.

Her husband Ron was ill and they were fighting 

a horrible battle with cancer.

They lost the battle a few weeks back,

Annie lost her husband,

and her life has changed forever.

I have watched my friend 

face these new challenges

with such bravery and grace 

and I am in awe of her strength.

She and her Mom Ruth,

forever more "Grandma Ruth" now,

worked themselves silly the past few days.

Annie made enough to make a huge dent in the project.

But there is more to the story.

I always send out alerts 

to local gals that a garage sale is

happening and the girls

turned up for the cause.

They came for the preview night Friday,

 bringing cupcakes and hugs,

opened their wallets and bought treasures.

They picked up unfinished quilts of the family,

and promised to finish them and send them photos.

They bought treasures from Annie

and will make them special in their own homes.

They tried on vintage glasses and hats 

and posed to make Annie laugh.

These other women have faced illness,

loss and tragedy in their own lives.

They've struggled and fought their own battles

and recognize a woman who needs

love and support.

I adore these women in my life.

Both my female "bosses" were there

and they are getting to know one another,

and lo and behold

the guy who owns the emporium

where our booth is, showed up by accident

and more hugs all around.

All these separate folks all intertwining

in work and friendship and love.

I looked up mid way through 

yesterday, I was fading fast,

and saw Annie bundled up in layers of 

her husband's clothes

borrowed from the racks, fighting the cold

and rain that lala land dumped on us yesterday,

and she was "merchandising" the tables, 

and shuffling in her fuzzy clogs and smiling.

Tired but always smiling.

I wake up this morning at 1 a.m.

and there is an email from Ann at midnight,

still up, still working I'm sure,

 thanking me for sharing my friends.

Annie, they are now your friends also.

Women brought together 

with shared experiences, friendship,

 and understanding of what it means to be 

a woman today, well, what it has always 

meant to be a woman.
The strengths we all have within us

to raise our families well, work hard,

love hard, be creative, nurturing.

We are by no means the weaker sex.

We "get it"

Oh yes, there are silly, selfish, even nasty

 gals out there,

always were, always will be,

but by and large I believe

in women.

I believe in these women for sure.

My friends.

Annie's friends.

Get some sleep Annie.