An Angel Lives in Glendora

Okay...this is exactly what "TAG YOU'RE IT" is all about!!!! I just received this Tag story from Kim, one of the original chosen taggers...and it was worth the wait! I bet the woman in this story could never be told enough that she is special! Just read it and you will see what I mean! 

Kim's story about her friend Becky...

Did you know an angel lives in Glendora?  My family had the good fortune to move into a house on the same street as that angel in the Summer of 1986.  Becky Ralphs was the neighborhood "Kool Aid Mom".  You know, the mom that has the house where all the children in the neighborhood congregate.  Her house didn't have a pool, it didn't have a spacious game room or the largest yard in the neighborhood.  What you would find at 279 S. Grand Avenue was a joyful lady with a husband and children to match.  Becky welcomed one and all.  Fortunately, that applied to my family and I.

At the time, I was the mother of a 5 year old entering Kindergarten and a 1 year old "all boy".  I worked part-time and I remember feeling a bit overwhelmed most of the time.  Becky cared for a couple of the toddlers/pre-schoolers in the neighborhood and when I needed a sitter shortly after moving into the area I decided to bravely ask Becky if she would care for my 1 year old son, Christopher.  Bravely I say because I really didn't know Becky all that well; I had just observed her interaction with the other neighbors, her children's friends and the little ones she cared for.  Becky said she would pray about it and let me know.  Pray about it - that was odd to me.  I had never heard someone who would pray about something before they made a decision.  Thankfully, Becky said she would care for Christopher.  My how that would come to change many facets of my life.

Mondays with Becky was Mervyn's Day and she would pack up her brood of 3 (Christopher and 2 girls) and off to Eastland they would go in her maroon mini van.  Becky was good at finding bargains and it wasn't unusual for Christopher to come home with clothing, toys, plates with dinosaurs, etc. all at Becky's expense.  I wouldn't be surprised if she spent what I paid her each week.  Wednesday she would take the little ones to Library Storytime and Fridays were "Messy Day".  She would paint with the kids, garden, cook, whatever was  her fancy.  To this day my now 26 year old son still calls Becky "Momma Becky".  He says her name so fondly and kindly that you only have to be in earshot to know the loving memories he made while in her care.

Becky was the example of a good neighbor I still try to emulate today.  She was my first exposure to a Christian woman as an adult.  When my mother-in-law was ill and close to dying we spent most of our time in Torrance, 40 miles away.  It wasn't unusual for us to come home late at night and notice our lawn had been mowed and our trash cans had been taken out for pick-up the next morning.  Becky was always cooking a meal for someone and frequently my family was the recipient.  If she thought I had experienced a particularly trying day she would have her children march down to our house with her delicious Southern cooking.  Funny thing was I could never tell when Becky was having a bad day.

My husband got transferred to Seattle four years later and we said our tearful goodbyes.  Becky visited us in Seattle several times and we spoke on the phone often.  Her encouraging words from "home" meant so much to me as I was making my way in a city 1200 miles from friends and family.  Three years later we were back in Glendora.  It was never the same though.  Her last child was graduating high school and I was attending pre-school orientations for my youngest.  We were in different seasons of our lives.  We've been there for each other's major events; weddings, babies, parents passing away, baptisms, etc.

Becky still has little ones surrounding her.  She cares for 5 of her 7 grandchildren which keeps her out in Rancho Cucamonga for days at a time.  It took me eight weeks and two cancellations for us to finally get together for lunch.  Becky is the most selfless individual I know, a true mentor to me that I wanted to honor and celebrate for no good reason other than to ...Tag You're It".      Kim

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Perfect story Kim...I SERIOUSLY love Becky and I don't think we have ever met? She sounds like a wonderful woman and how lucky you were to have her in your life. 

Kim and I personally became friends through my cousins...and also through the Christopher mentioned in this story. He befriended one of my sons in high school. They were both trying out for soccer together, and Chris would ask my son to go running to get into shape, and would pick him up for try-outs and practices. Chris was two years older than my son...my son was only 15 at the time, so he didn't have his license yet. How sweet is that for a high school Senior to be so nice to a Sophmore? And they have remained friends to this day....our whole family loves that boy! Chris has a wonderful loving family (who are ALWAYS overly helpful and ALWAYS pitch-in for a friend in need)...but, I am betting that he had to have picked up a few wonderful pointers on GIVING from his "Momma Becky", too!  

 

WHAT AN AWESOME LADY!!! 
TWO AWESOME LADIES!
THANKS FOR TELLING THIS STORY KIM!!!