Thank you DC Craigslist

Mount Vernon VA

Description

I've been struggling on and off with homelessness for the past decade. This area is just too expensive for a simple person like me. But I want to send a huge thank you to this community that has helped in the most significant of times. Mostly the holidays and concerning my daughter. You guys were Santa Claus so many times that it made her believe in the true spirit of Christmas forever and long after she knew the man was not real. I love you so much for that. They say it takes a village to raise a child and y'all really came through. She'll be 18 next month. She'll be 18 next month and although of course am so happy and proud, I am kind of falling apart. She's been incredible. A joy to be around always and has never given anyone an ounce of trouble. Brainiac, Over- Achiever... all that a parent could wish for. She's going to college in the Fall and is being accepted all over the place with many schools offering her full scholarships. We have a fantastic relationship although I basically had to give her up as she could not be homeless with me. It has been very hard on both of us but we always talk through everything and she has learned that house and home are not the same... but you do need both. She's really incredible. I have actually been going through a particularly tough time this past 2 years and she has a little mall job. She actually helps me financially at times when I'm extra stuck. She always does it so graciously. She is so wonderful. She has worked at her little BS job for over a year and had worked herself up from $8 and hour to $12 and been promoted to Supervisor. I watched her train a 40 year old man recently released from prison. She did a great job! Anyway, I am emotional. But I will be ok. She actually wants me to come with her to college. She doesn't know where she will go yet and although she has been accepted at George Mason, she is not terribly interested in staying in this area. I will have nothing that is important to me here when she goes and any place has to be more reasonable than this place so I am putting things in place to leave VA too. But I didn't want to go without saying thank you and goodbye. And she does have the big birthday coming up. I would like to try to make it special. I am kind of going on a "Starry Night" (Van Gogh) theme (she is an art major) I saw a ring and got obcessed. Googled Starry Night wrapping paper and found a bunch of cute little boxes and stuff. Then found out about the exhibit in DC. I think anything Starry Night would be awesome so definitely open to ideas, items no longer needed/wanted and any assistance to try to make this special for her. Also... am mostly able to work at most things (I have some limitations now but I have no criminal history) if you need some work done in exchange for any help with any of these things. I'm ready to go but I still love y'all. Thank you DC.