Day 146: Genuine Offers

11/15/2011

Today really was a great day as well. Ian and I spent the night at a hotel, just the two of us. We got up this morning on our own and had breakfast together. After we had breakfast we just got to relax and enjoy the quiet. We checked out of the hotel and did some shopping for work clothes for me to pass time before meeting some old friends of Ian's for lunch. It was a great lunch and was good to catch up. They are great people and genuinely care about Ian, my family, and me. They asked questions about when he was leaving and what Ian and I needed prayer about. They offered to help me if I needed anything, and it was a genuine offer to help. Not one of those "Call me if you need me" but they are only saying it because it is the socially acceptable thing to do. They really do want to help and care about us enough to follow through with it.

It is hard sometimes to know what offers are genuine and what are not. Most of the time, it is when you take someone up on their offer that you realize if it is genuine or not. I have also found from personal experience that there are some people who will help you if you ask for it (and sometimes will only do it because they "have to") and there are those that care enough to call you or shoot you a text asking how you are doing. Those are the friends worth their weight in gold. They are the ones that care about you no matter what and want to be there for you in times of good and in times of crisis. These are the friends that I care about in the same way and try to be there for them just as much or more than they are for me. I have a few of these good friends here and a few others that are miles away but always willing to talk. These I am closer to than even some family members. It hurts to say that because I thought all of my family, blood or marriage, would be there for me and would allow me to be in their lives, especially during Ian's absence. The opposite has happened, and I wish I could change it, but I can't. For now, I am going back to what I said a few months ago, I am focusing on the family and friends that care and allowing them to show my kids they have support outside of just mommy. I am also allowing myself to be supported by them.... which isn't something I am accustomed to.