My Heart Breaks

I met this gal thru my son's school.  She's about 34-35 years old.. very approachable with her warm smile and predictable morning greeting.. Easy to be around.  We also take our kids to the same after school program (KUMON), and it wasn't long before I learned she was Polish... my maternal grandmother was Polish .. so needless to say, I was fascinated!  Being that this gal was born in Poland, I couldn't help but ask her tons of questions about the culture and what it was like moving from there to here, etc.. I also learned that she has a twin sister ... AND she has 4 kids under the age of 7!   

Going to KUMON took on a whole new meaning for ME... my boys did their work, but for me, I made a new friend.. and I learned more about her.. and her life.. and her culture.  I looked forward to seeing her every week.  Three to four months into the school year, she found out she was pregnant..  and then a couple weeks later, she found out she was having TWINS!!  yes, that means child #5 and child #6..  at the age of 34! God Bless her...  she is my new idol..   I can barely handle my two... !

She was excited and nervous and overwhelmed all at once, but she was a trooper..  still had the warm smile and the predictable morning greeting.. every day.  And despite some discomfort and all the other normal things that happen when you are pregnant, she was all-in-all good. The smile hid anything painful she may have been feeling, physically.

The babies are due in July... a boy and a girl.. one is 4 pounds and the other one is 5 pounds.  Two weeks ago, she found out she has cancer......  this was shocking news.  The babies are OK.... in fact, they are going to take the babies out in 2+ weeks.. and then they are starting her on radiation and chemo right away..  

I cant stop thinking about her...  she is too young.  too sweet.  too needed by too many innocent little souls..  not to mention her loving husband, siblings, parents, etc.   I want to do something.. something more than saying the prayers or bringing her family a dinner now and again... but I don't know what I can do. I know she has support and love surrounding her... but I ache with an emptiness as to what or how I can contribute something..  anything!.  It will come to me.. I know it will... in time.  So until then, I pray.. and I will bring her meals.. and I will keep thinking about her warm smile and her predictable morning greeting...