A week ago, Team Home Depot (Layton UT) came to our home and updated Lota’s room. This help was possible because of so many caring people. Back in May, Lota’s teacher (the Amazing Ms Bird) told Becky Anderson (a cancer survivor and one of the most incredible people I have ever met in my life) Director of Anything For a Friend about Lota's fourth brain surgery. From there, Becky got her team together and got the ball rolling for a surprise for Lota.
Team Home Depot came out and completed the project last week. The timing for the room update couldn’t be any more perfect. Lota has been struggling with expressing himself in the past couple of months and as we go from day to night to weeks; the more frustrated he felt and the more we all felt overwhelmed here at home. There were many days I felt close to my own breaking point, trying to help Lota, trying to help my other five kids with their emotional needs and most of all trying to keep my own emotions in check. So when Team Depot came knocking on my door to update Lota’s room; they also brought a much needed light in Lota’s eyes and to this Mom’s breaking heart.
Lota and his little brother were not allowed in their room for two full days. So while they were living out of a box in Daddy and Mommy’s room, Team Depot were hard at work one tool at a time. The excitement of this wonderful unknown was making Lota smile from ear to ear. He had no time to think about his problems because his mind was too busy wondering and imagining what his room could possibly look like.
Lota loves Fast & Furious and that’s the theme we ran with. Just like his Dad, he is fascinated by fast cars. Team Depot did an amazing job painting, adding more storage in the boys' closet, using some old rims we had for a traffic light nightlight /bookshelf and the fourth one for a cute little table. They provided some cushions for a little quiet area for Lota to just relax. Ken (the lead on the project) was so generous to give Lota a drift car track of his from when his son was little.
And when Lota saw his room - he was BLOWN AWAY. Team Home Depot and Anything For a Friend brought back the fighting warrior in my son and I as his Mom, feels a lot lighter in my own sorrow and my cup runneth over in gratitude.
Last month, Lota, his little brother and Daddy went on a Father and Sons campout. It’s a little summer tradition they have. When they returned home, they informed me that they are getting rid of the bunk bed and they are going to have tents as their beds. I was a little concern at first with this idea.
Well, the tents have arrived and I am impress. Lota now sleeps in his own bed at night and loves to hang out in his tent.
This project wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for the caring people that thought of Lota and his struggles and wanted to make a difference for him. Through Ms Bird (Lota’s teacher) and the wonderful faculty and staff at Lota’s school, Becky Anderson and her team (@Anything For a Friend)heard that there is a boy that may need a little lift during his fight with a brain tumor. Through Becky, Derek Carver (Former Manager of our Layton Home Depot) and Team Depot heard about Lota and came to our home to do a pre-work assessment of Lota’s room. And through Derek Carver, Ken Taylor and his “make it happen”team came over and updated Lota’s room. It is through all these compassionate people’s actions, a little 8 year old boy that was having the worst few weeks of his journey was able to forget about all his problems.
Keith and I are deeply grateful for your kindness and love for our little warrior and our family. Thank you for bringing a much needed light in our lives when we felt hopeless and alone.
Lota now has a fun little oasis to retreat to when he feels the need for some peace and quiet.
And we as his parents feel a big burden lifted off our shoulders. Sometimes, when we really want to help someone and we are not in a position to do it on our own, just reaching out to someone that we know or think can, can make a big difference. Because that help may be just want they need when they need it. I know that is what I have learned from this project. I can help others by starting a seed of conversation and that conversation will eventually reach the right people who can make it happen. I know this because I have seen too many tender mercies of our Savior. I have faith in our Heavenly Father's timing. I know that our Heavenly Father will find a way to get the information to the right people at the right time for the help to get to us just when we needed it the most. So don’t be afraid to reach out on behalf of a friend who is in need of some help. Help may not get to them right at that moment but it will get to them just when they need it the most. Just like it did for us and our Lota.
See more pictures here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1594951817433236.1073741887.100007552993807&type=1&l=98ec4f1a0d
With Alofa,
~Rowena.
Team Home Depot came out and completed the project last week. The timing for the room update couldn’t be any more perfect. Lota has been struggling with expressing himself in the past couple of months and as we go from day to night to weeks; the more frustrated he felt and the more we all felt overwhelmed here at home. There were many days I felt close to my own breaking point, trying to help Lota, trying to help my other five kids with their emotional needs and most of all trying to keep my own emotions in check. So when Team Depot came knocking on my door to update Lota’s room; they also brought a much needed light in Lota’s eyes and to this Mom’s breaking heart.
Lota and his little brother were not allowed in their room for two full days. So while they were living out of a box in Daddy and Mommy’s room, Team Depot were hard at work one tool at a time. The excitement of this wonderful unknown was making Lota smile from ear to ear. He had no time to think about his problems because his mind was too busy wondering and imagining what his room could possibly look like.
Lota loves Fast & Furious and that’s the theme we ran with. Just like his Dad, he is fascinated by fast cars. Team Depot did an amazing job painting, adding more storage in the boys' closet, using some old rims we had for a traffic light nightlight /bookshelf and the fourth one for a cute little table. They provided some cushions for a little quiet area for Lota to just relax. Ken (the lead on the project) was so generous to give Lota a drift car track of his from when his son was little.
And when Lota saw his room - he was BLOWN AWAY. Team Home Depot and Anything For a Friend brought back the fighting warrior in my son and I as his Mom, feels a lot lighter in my own sorrow and my cup runneth over in gratitude.
Last month, Lota, his little brother and Daddy went on a Father and Sons campout. It’s a little summer tradition they have. When they returned home, they informed me that they are getting rid of the bunk bed and they are going to have tents as their beds. I was a little concern at first with this idea.
Well, the tents have arrived and I am impress. Lota now sleeps in his own bed at night and loves to hang out in his tent.
This project wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for the caring people that thought of Lota and his struggles and wanted to make a difference for him. Through Ms Bird (Lota’s teacher) and the wonderful faculty and staff at Lota’s school, Becky Anderson and her team (@Anything For a Friend)heard that there is a boy that may need a little lift during his fight with a brain tumor. Through Becky, Derek Carver (Former Manager of our Layton Home Depot) and Team Depot heard about Lota and came to our home to do a pre-work assessment of Lota’s room. And through Derek Carver, Ken Taylor and his “make it happen”team came over and updated Lota’s room. It is through all these compassionate people’s actions, a little 8 year old boy that was having the worst few weeks of his journey was able to forget about all his problems.
Keith and I are deeply grateful for your kindness and love for our little warrior and our family. Thank you for bringing a much needed light in our lives when we felt hopeless and alone.
Lota now has a fun little oasis to retreat to when he feels the need for some peace and quiet.
And we as his parents feel a big burden lifted off our shoulders. Sometimes, when we really want to help someone and we are not in a position to do it on our own, just reaching out to someone that we know or think can, can make a big difference. Because that help may be just want they need when they need it. I know that is what I have learned from this project. I can help others by starting a seed of conversation and that conversation will eventually reach the right people who can make it happen. I know this because I have seen too many tender mercies of our Savior. I have faith in our Heavenly Father's timing. I know that our Heavenly Father will find a way to get the information to the right people at the right time for the help to get to us just when we needed it the most. So don’t be afraid to reach out on behalf of a friend who is in need of some help. Help may not get to them right at that moment but it will get to them just when they need it the most. Just like it did for us and our Lota.
See more pictures here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1594951817433236.1073741887.100007552993807&type=1&l=98ec4f1a0d
With Alofa,
~Rowena.
