When ye are in the service of your fellow being...

Today I sit here sipping on a soda from McDonalds. It's not where I want to be. I want to be down in Loma Linda at the Ronald McDonald house. After Nate and I stayed there while Rebekah was in the hospital, we knew we wanted to continue to lend support and service to the house. My friend Megan noticed on their facebook page last month that they had a day open for providing a meal. It happened to be a Monday-no work-no school-day! I quickly messaged Nate (who was on travel) to check and see what he thought and we got signed up.

All meals at the Ronald McDonald house and provided on a volunteer basis. If no one volunteers for that day, no meal. There is still a pantry with food items, but you have to take time away from being with your child at the hospital to prepare it. The meals at the house while we were there were a huge blessing and service to us.

 

  

We enlisted the help of several other families in Ridgecrest that had also stayed at the house at various times-the Cushings, the Rossers and the Bernadinos, planned a menu and got to work organizing.

We planned sandwiches (bread, meat, cheese, tomato, lettuce, mustard, mayo), pasta salad, potato salad, chips, drinks and brownies. A simple menu, but something that could leave really usable leftovers for families at the house.

This past week Henry got strep throat and Rebekah got an ear infection. We had a week for them to get better. Yesterday we noticed Henry having watery eyes, then buggery eyes. I missed urgent care by 10 minutes and had to go to the ER. I missed a pharmacy being open by 16 minutes. Sick kids are not allowed in the house. Parents don't want to be sick or they can't visit their kids in the hospital. And there are children receiving medical treatment that stay at the house.

So, I sent Nate, Benjamin, Emma and Mo off this morning and I stayed home and got a $45 prescription filled for eye drops. Henry was super sad that he didn't get to go to Ronald McDonald, so we got McDonalds for lunch instead.

There is always next time...