Has anyone ever taken 5 kids ages four and under to the doctor...with only one of them being sick? I have. It was not amusing. The parking lot was packed and had to park in the very far confines of hospital parking lots. Which of course made us even more late. Then just so happens all the kids took their shoes off right when we pulled in to the spot. And of course, it is like herding sheep trying to get them to go through a single door, let alone sit still in the waiting room.
Did I mention the looks I got from other moms? Priceless!
Turns out the sick one had strep which meant that we had to go the pharmacy to get drugs to make her better.
That was when we met her. Gwen. You know the overly friendly people that you do not know if they are special needs or if they are really just that nice? This was Gwen. I herded the troop into the pharmacy which has a little table, chairs and coloring books that the kids usually sit at for an entire two minutes.
A nice, young gal in her young 20s popped into the pharmacy wondering if anyone had a cell phone charger... nope. "Oh you have kids! Can I play with them?" Sure I say. Have at it!
She then sits with them and proceeds to play, laugh and converse with them in their simple language.
I go to check on the prescription. The doctors never sent it. It would be at least a half hour. Not good.
We decide to go wander around. Gwen jumps up. "I am going with you. You need help with all these kids!" We all head outside and she proceeds to play games with them and keep them entertained. I was left standing there, staring at her. Are you real? What complete stranger sees a stressed out, tired mom with too many kids at a doctor's office and just starts playing with them to keep them happy and be entirely involved and loving the attention they are giving her?
Gwen had to leave to make a phone call and we parted ways for the time being. As we wandered the halls and elevators of the hospital, the kids worried they would never see Gwen again. They were drawn to her.
After a few minutes we decided to head back and pray that the prescription was ready. Thank goodness it was sitting there waiting and we could hit the road. As we left the kid's eyes were searching for their special new friend. Annie looked up at me and said, "I really love Gwen. I need to tell her that."
Just outside the door and around the corner was our friend Gwen sitting on the bus stop bench. Annie and the other kids ran straight up to her, threw their arms around her and with all the love they could muster, "We love you Gwen!" She dropped down on her knees, tears filling her eyes. "Oh thank you kids! I love you too"
She then insisted on giving each kid a stamp, pencil, pad of paper, etc from her purse. After more hugs, we left and herded our way to the car.
Gwen was such person that I still to this day cannot interpret if she was an angel sent right at that time to help me out or if those kids were all right there as her angels to help her feel love. Either way. That meeting, that day was not a mistake and prayers were answered. She felt loved if even by a mob of toddlers and I felt that my Father in Heaven knew how badly I needed another set of hands to help herd. Tender Mercy.
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