Freecycle Girl

Here is the post on Freecycle that I couldn't ignore:
We have just relocated here and are horribly broke. I have two kids. My son is nine and daughter is sixteen months. I don't have anything for the Christmas season.

I'm in DESPERATE need of an artificial tree and decorations. Anything will help.


As I had previously posted, I dug around in my Christmas stuff and came up with 4 full containers and 5 rolls of wrapping paper, to give to this girl.

I commented on her post:
This is my first time actually answering a post, not sure how this works.

So, your post has made me go through all my Christmas boxes and I have come up with at least 4 boxes of stuff...balls, one large strand of lights, garland, 5 rolls wrapping paper, cards, bows, wreath and hanger, gift boxes and Christmas nicknack's, stuffed animals for the kids, ect..ect..

My truck isn't working very good and I live way on the SW side. I could meet you halfway. Let me know.

She replies back with a phone number.

Freecycle girl has now turned into Stephanie.

They are from Washington (the state) and had decided to move here, in search for JOBS. (I know the economy is bad, but to leave your area in search of jobs. My heart was bleeding) Thankfully she has a brother here, so they do have a place to stay. Stephanie's hubby found a job in his line of work, but is having to start out on the bottom of the totem pole. It's a job, at least there's that. She is grateful and now that I am acquainted with, them so am I.

Her brother has nothing in the way of Christmas. He is a bachelor and had never felt the need to do or buy anything. (Very sad)

I asked her if there was a specific color she was hoping for?
Blue and white and silver, she replies.
Perfect, I have a bunch of that.
She was getting excited. (It was like..I could see her mind working with what she could do with all her new stuff.)
This was soo much fun!

We agree to meet at a gas station on Saturday, 4 days later.

Now, my experience with Craigslist is:

1) They will find a better offer and not call and let you know.
2) They will change their minds and again not call.
3) They will just not show up for said meeting.

I was very apprehensive about how this was going to play out.

Thankfully with Freecycle, they really do want the items they post for.

Saturday finally gets here and I realize we didn't exchange our looks or type of vehicles. How are we going to recognize each other?

I call her back. (I secretly wanted to confirm they were actually coming) She had thought of the same thing and yes they are coming. Relief Washington plates..dah, sometimes I wonder about my head

Hubby as I said, was moving really slow due to the show he was watching. We are about halfway there and I look at the clock.

I grumble "were going to be late".
Hubby..You said 4 o'clock, didn't you?
I..Yes, but I didn't mean for us to get there right at 4 or after (I hate to be late and he knows it).

We pull into the gas station and hubby starts getting gas and there they are. They had just gotten there, they had gotten lost. I let hubby off the hook cause it all worked out.

I had all the stuff in clear plastic containers.
She exclaims..The containers too!
My hubby..No point in taking them out, now is there?
We all got a pretty good laugh out of that.

She could see the blue and silver garland in the container. Her eyes were lit up like a Christmas tree! Oh, I am so excited! I'm going to start decorating as soon as I get home!

The meeting was brief, but will last me a lifetime!

I got this from her yesterday:
I just want to thank you again...you've helped sooo much.


I love to give, more than receive!