Employed, NaNoWriMo, and Tears of Joy

A few days ago something really wonderful happened. I cried, just because the situation was so unbelievably touching. I didn't post it, because even though I had tears of joy streaming from my eyes, I was simultaneously having a panic attack about a job interview I had scheduled. The interview is over; they hired me on the spot! I'm thrilled. On to the more important, more touching, unbelievably sweet things. The thing that's made me not stop smiling since it happened.

Small bit of backstory: my sisters have been fighting a lot lately. They actually got into a fist fight a few days ago that Lauren told me about.

The other night I received the following chain of text messages (conveniently connected into one large text block for you to read here, and all txt-speak converted into their normal-word counterparts.)

"Hi Erin, It's Mindi. I now have custory of the girls. I took them so they didn't have to be split up and I could help them. I need your help as well. They are gighting all the time. You need to explain to them I love them and only want to do  what's best, but they need to learn how it's done here. Tell them "don't fight so much." I am a good mom and I will take care of them. Erin, I'm so sorry you all went through that you did, but I'm on their side. I do and always will love you all. I just need a little cooperation. I can't have my other kids suffer and take a back burner. We all have to work as one family. Please help that understand that I wont turn my back. I just need us all to work together. Love you, xoxo, Mindi"

I nearly cried at the words "My other kids." She didn't say "my kids" she said "other." It sort of touched something in me. She wasn't putting my sisters above them, but she wasn't ranking hers above my sisters either. That she loved them so much, cared, and really wanted to make things work for all of them..... I can't even really explain what that means to me. I've known the family for a long time. Mindi's daughter has been Lauren's best friend for years, and I used to babysit all three of Mindi's kid. I've always known Mindi was a sweet person, loving, kind, and loyal, but this sort of melted my heart.

"Erin I love them and I will always do anything I can. I just need you to tell them to work with me, not against me. They got in a fight today, so I took their phones away, including Kenzi's. And now I look like the bad guy, but I'm just treating them the way I would treat my own kids. I hope they get it, that I'm a mom that cares and wont put up with BS. Please help me keep them. I'm afraid if they are moved, we weill have lost them. I really love them and only want the best for them, even though it's hard. I'm thinking of putting Manda in voice lessons and get Lauren on Bball."

I can't remember if I ever mentioned it, but Manda LOVES music, is teaching herself to play guitar and loves to sing. Last year, Lauren started playing basketball and loved that too. That Mindi knew that, remembered, cared enough to think about signing them up, made me want to cry. She's such a sweet person.  I told her as much, and mentioned how much they would love those things.

"Thank you for your help. I had to take their phones away today because they were so difficult, but that's what needs to be done sometimes. But they will have them back tomorrow morning."

I talked to my sisters, tried to help as best I could. Let them know that Mindi loves them. Reminded them that I love them.

And as happy as I am, I can't help but have a small part of me be so angry that my mother never stepped up to do for the girls what Mindi is doing. But that angry bit is small. I can't wipe the smile off my face, and I'm crying again.
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On a totally unrelated note: I've signed up for NaNoWriMo, and will be tracking my progress (including pre-planning) over at Making Waves, my writing blog.