Jan

I visit teach* Jan. She is a recreational therapist that travels to several nursing homes and rehabilitation centers in the area. She loves working out, especially at her 7:30 am spinning class. She loves gardening, especially vegetables like kale that I've never eaten before. She loves collecting and using food storage, especially because her husband's been out of work for several months.

Jan also has fifteen-year-old twins. She and her husband adopted them from eastern Russia at 18 months old. They both are challenged by disabilities; one more mental disabilities, one more cognitive disabilities. She's a great mom to them.

You can understand then why I was perplexed when I went to her house yesterday and the first thing she said after opening the door was, "Hi!" Hey I have these 2 [big] boxes of food storage for you."

?! (Two months ago we talked about food storage and I mentioned in passing how its hard to do as students.)

"Jan, I'm supposed to bring you stuff like food storage!"

"It's hard living paycheck to paycheck. We have tons in our basement. I'm sure we can't use all that couscous, etc." she insisted.

I couldn't object. I thanked her, I hugged her. Her son put the boxes in the car after our visit. I drove home filled with brightness from Jan's love and sacrifice. I want to be like her!

*Mormon lingo for a friend I'm assigned to visit monthly so I can assess/meet her needs. Like a built in