Life Savers!

I have to most wonderful job ever! I work at a center for people with developmental disabilities, helping them work on goals and reach their potential. It is so much fun and I often feel like a proud parent when I see them succeed. One of my clients is not able to clearly verbalize, so when one day as he was pointing in my direction repeating "BER" I almost cried with excitement when I realized he was saying my name. It was like a mother hearing their child call them "mama" for the first time. I beam with pride every time he calls me "ber" now.
So, anyway, about twice a week, the three departments try to do outings, (you may call them field trips) together. We each send about three or four clients and provide an opportunity for them to get out into the community. This month, in place of one of our outings, we planned a "craft day" to make some Halloween crafts to decorate our rooms with. It was first planned for last Friday, but we were unable to get the supplies in time, so we postponed it to today. Yesterday, we realized that the managers of the other two rooms would be in training all day. I figured that I could still pull it off, since I knew someone was going to be volunteering, and one of my staff is so amazing I knew I could count on her. Later in the day, though, I was informed that she was going to be helping with the Special Olympics basketball team, and would be gone all day. It was about at that point that I began to panic. I only have two staff in the room, so if one is gone, it is a big deal. I had already commited to proceeding with the craft day, so I just continued with my plans.
My biggest concern was just having enough people to help with the crafts. I sent out a mass text, asking people to help if they could. Kyle, aka my knight in shining armor, happily volunteered. He was the first to arrive and the last to leave. I may have gone crazy if he wasn't there. Then there is my wonderful, beautiful, amazing sister Holly. She came into town with two of her roommates. Their plan was to go to Lagoon for the day for Frightmares. They weren't planning on leaving until mid-afternoon, so I asked, begged, whatever you want to call it, them to come help me. I even bribed them a little with some cash to get some lunch. :) Anyway, they all came and saved the day. Everything went so smoothly and they helped the clients make monster hands, ghosts and a mural for our Halloween carnival in two weeks. It was fun to watch them interact with the clients. The clients felt so special with the one on one attention, which would not have happened otherwise.
I did not have a chance to stop moving from 7:30 this morning to 4:00 this afternoon, I didn't even eat all day until I got home. I was amazed that I didn't have a mental breakdown from all that went on today. I owe my sanity to my four life savers! I don't know what I would do without such amazing friends and family. So, as you read this, I want you to know that I thank Heavenly Father everyday for amazing people in my life like you. You help me so much more than you will ever know. Even those of you that I never really see anymore, you have made a difference in my life. I love you all! Thanks for being my life savers in your own little ways.