Realizing that the possibility of people I am actually related to having me over for Christmas is growing smaller and smaller by the minute, I reached out to… you know… FAMILY.
It started December 5. Beth Carroll from Hope Reformed and I sat in Simpatico Nice Coffee and I got to share my story with her. She thinks I’m amazing in a good way, and we got some good spiritual discussion in while we were there.
December 6: I go to my hair salon. Kate gives me an amazing cut, and lets me air it out to her. She’s been mine for the last 6+ years, and she’s the ONLY one I trust with my hair and nails. And yes, she became a sister.. the others in the salon became sisters after I came out and started hormones.
December 9: Raina brings me to Matchbox Diner for Eggs Benny. Raina is an old baking instructor of mine, and she showed a whole bunch of love to me by telling me to get out of culinary school. I believe she may have saved my life back in 2011 by doing so… can’t run marathons if I’m neck deep in bread. I was stressed out.
December 10: Wendy, my “Mom,” brings me to Simpatico where she simply reminds me that I do have family. I’m just not related to any of them. Wendy is someone who has taken me under her wing and “raised” me right. At Out On The Lakeshore, I help her and she helps me. I believe meeting her was not a chance encounter.
December 11: Bethany and Sarah bring me to their house for pizza, wine, board games. In a 2.5 hour session, we share and we laugh and we giggle. Wine can do amazing things. Bethany became my “little buddy” when I met her at PFLAG, and soon after, her partner came on board. They soon became sisters, and I couldn’t have asked for anyone better.
It’s not just those. It’s at work, where Supervisors Donna and Alicia brighten up my day every day. Those two want to know how it’s going every time. Today I told Alicia “I’m not alone… I have you, right?” To which she gave an emphatic “YES!” It’s every Tuesday at Out On the Lakeshore, where the Resource Center team has been able to love me for an entire year. It’s online with my Skirt Sisters… who are always lifting me up and encouraging me to shine where I am. It’s the first Saturday and the Third Friday of the month at Gender SAFE, where I’m with like minded people. These go on.
With love like this in my life, no wonder I’m having such a Merry Christmas!
Adventures With Amber Marie 