Growing up, we weren't always shown that it was okay to ask for help when times were hard and you really needed it. As I've gotten older, I've realized that it's okay to admit when you need your village.

As many of you know, my little sister Allie is one of my best friends and her little family is one of the brighter spots of my world. Right now, she's going through it. While I know that I am doing everything that I can to help, I'm quickly realizing that her family's current situation has created a need that surpasses what I can help with on my own. Since I know that she wont ask for help, I will.

Allie became pregnant with my now perfect little Godson, Gavin and her due date for him was in August. We had her baby shower planned and ready to go, but the week before the party, Allie got sick and was admitted to the hospital with severe preeclampsia. Unfortunately, the decision was made that she would have to stay at the hospital until Gavin was born. She wasn't admitted for too long before her symptoms started to worsen and it was no longer safe for Gavin to stay in his nice, warm, safe home within Allie's body. Gavin joined us way earlier than we planned, at 31 weeks gestation on June 11. He was very tiny, and needed a lot of help. This turned into him requiring about a month long stay in two different NICU's. Gavin has only gotten to be home with his momma and the rest of his new family for a week.

Allie and Chris have been out of work, taking care of the girls and running back and forth to the NICU for over a month. They have been waiting for Allie's supplemental insurance to kick in to catch up on bills and expenses that have built up. Today, they found out that those payments were not coming. Allie had set up her supplemental insurance to be effective beginning July 1, going into August because that's when Gavin was supposed to be here. Aflac determined that they were not going to cover her because it her claims did not fall in the window that was arranged, by no fault of her own. Her employer has NO employee assistance for emergency situations and she is out of PTO. (her coworkers are not even able to donate PTO) Now, Allie has only gotten to be home with Gavin for one week and is looking at having to already go back to work ASAP or face not having any income. All of this while rent, groceries, car payments, etc continue to build up.

None of this journey has gone according to the plans that Allie and Chris made. She didn't get to have her baby shower that we worked so hard on. Because she didn't have her shower, we had to buy a lot of things to get ready for Gav to come home that she normally would have gotten from gifts that came from her shower. They have had to spend a lot of money in gas and making arrangements when Gavin was in the NICU. The unexpected hits have just kept hitting from all angles.

While Allie and Chris are incredibly happy and blessed that Gavin is now home, happy, healthy, and growing every day, they are now insanely stressed out and dealing with yet another wrench in their plans. This birth was overwhelmingly difficult physically, emotionally, and mentally. The pain of having Gavin away for a month after having to deliver him so early was a lot for Allie, and going back to work after only getting to be home with him for one week is something I wouldn't wish on anyone. Finding out that her insurance payment wont be coming, on top of bills piling up and being emotionally exhausted while dealing with juggling the two girls being on summer break, and a newborn is something I can only help with so much. I would love nothing more than to be able to generate enough help from our village to give Allie just a little bit more time with Gavin and help alleviate some stress before she returns to work. Even if it's just a few more weeks, it would mean the world to me to do this for them.

There's no real words to explain who thankful I am, both for the support that everyone has already shown, and for the fact that so many people love and care about one of the most important things in my life, my family. So from the bottom of my tired little heart, thank you. <3