Asking for help

So I am TERRIBLE at asking for help. I think most of us are. We are raised to be independent and to be able to sustain ourselves. Yesterday I was on the phone with my friend Kelsey. I could hear her daughter in the background and then I heard Kelsey say "Do you need help Lila? Can you say Please help me mommy?". In that moment I realized the importance of teaching a child that it okay to need help doing something. Instilling in them that they are strong and independent, but that when it becomes to much it is okay to say "I need help". I don't know if I missed that lesson growing up, or just forgot it along the way. But I am relearning it now. Dan and I both are. We have learned that it is okay to ask for help. Okay to need help even. We are both givers- We would give you anything we have that you need because we love to do that. However, we are bad at receiving. Another thing we are learning in this time. It is instinct for us to say "no thank you" when people offer to bring us a meal - (even though be both know we will end up making a sandwich or mac & cheese because we are sometimes just too overwhelmed with all of this stuff to figure out dinner). We are working on asking for help. We are learning to say yes when other offer. Because honestly, it blesses us, and it blesses the person offering. (I know I LOVE when people let me do things for them when they need them)
Also- Woke up to this today (lets be honest- I was awake more than asleep last night so "woke up" is a relative term here).

Oh wow, Laurisa. You don't know me, but I "know" you;) I am a dear friend of Amy D. who you met at the TSC picnic, and I am fellow TSC mommy. My daughter "A" has TSC. I so wish you weren't walking this journey. I wish that your precious sweet girl wasn't being attacked by these stupid seizures.
I wish that I had the "magic words" to make it better, but the best advice that I can offer is to take it one day, one hour, or one minute at a time. Don't try to think about three years, or five years, or twenty years from now. I know that's nearly impossible, but there is GREAT hope for kiddos diagnosed with TSC today! Great hope!! I don't want to bombard you with information or advice because I know you are very overwhelmed. If you EVER need someone to talk to has truly walked a thousand miles in your shoes please don't hesitate to reach out to one of us.
My little girl just got on the bus and headed off to Kindergarten! She is resilient, courageous, and the absolute love and greatest joy of my life. She has changed so many lives, and brought many people to Jesus! I would take TSC from her in a heartbeat, but we refuse to allow TSC to steal our joy! Don't let Satan convince you that all is lost. . . that these seizures mean the worst possible outcome. Far from it! You will find the right medication and you will get them stopped! You may have to travel far from the safety and comfort of the halls of CMH, but there are experts in this disease out there who are making great strides towards giving kids with TSC an amazing life! Get your baby to one of them (a TS Clinic) as soon as you are able. (O.k.- that's the one little piece of advice I can't resist offering. . ., but so, so crucial!)

Hang in there, rely on friends, pray and stay in the Word, and know that there are many, many people thinking of you and lifting you up! (People you may have never met:)
Please don't hesitate to email me and I will send you my phone number!
God bless you and your sweet girl! You can do this!

sincerely,
Lisa, proud mommy of "A" 5 1/2 with TSC

And that right there is community people! I don't know Lisa, I couldn't tell you what color her hair is anything about her or her family (okay I lie-I FB stalked her once she accepted my friend request...her hair is brown- but the point is I don't know her personally...yet!) This is community at work. And not only a community of families with TSC but a community of families with Christ in common.
Jesus- Thank you for Lisa today and her encouragement.
Love, La