the Gallagher brothers. . . . .

Every now and then we get a little present from God.... a little message to reassure us that we are exactly in the palm of His hands. I had one of those messages this week.

As most of you know, I just returned to work after being a "stay at home" mom for the last 5 years. My son Caleb, was born with microcephaly. I decided to leave social services and take all the learning that I had and pour it into this child. Recently he entered mainstreamed kindergarten and I decided that it was time for me to get back to work.

I am a social worker by trade. I particularly love working with the youth in the fostercare system. I applied for a part time postition in our child welfare system at a residential hospital for teens aged 14-18. I will be a direct care worker for the older boys dormitory. They are 16 -18 years old and each have experienced a life different from the other but all have been placed by the child welfare department.

I will need to flashback to my junior year in high school. For those of you who don't know me, I myself was a foster child.

When I was 16 years old, I got my first job working at the local McDonalds. I was living in a foster home in my home town.

One day at work (think, 1984) a gorgeous guy with g-curls and a black jacket walked in. I did everything in my power to get him to notice me. Not only did he notice me, but he remembered me from kindergarten. He knew my name. For the life of me, I could not remember him. He took my phone number so we could "talk".

The boys name was Michael and he was trying to dress like his hero, Prince. He looked 100 times better than Prince. He told me that he remembered me from kindergarten because I wanted to play "house" then. . . . he said I would want him to be the daddy . . . . .

well, now I was wanting to play house. The boy's mother was a preacher at a local community church that gathered at the YMCA. I started going to church but to be honest, I wasn't looking for Jesus.

The problem that I had with Michael was Michael's big sister, Tuddie.

Tuddie didn't want her brother dating "white girls" and was very vocal about it. Her thing was, as she told me with a straight face, that when most black boys dated white girls, they dated trash ! She was against it because she felt that there were too few good black men around for the women and she wanted her brothers to stay with black women. Tuddie was a strong woman who got what she wanted and let her opinions be known. She often wanted to know when I called Michael if my mother knew that a nice young girl was calling boys....

In spite of that, what I found was an incredible family. His mother prayed for me. His sister, Tuddie listened to me. They were so loving. I couldn't believe how much love was in this family. Michael had a brother named Jeff. These boys went to the high school across town.

My senior year in high school came and the town merged the two high schools into one because enrollment was low. There in class was my dream, Michael. We had remained friends. What I didn't know (because I am football dumb) was that him and his brother were the football stars. They were extremely popular, and so good with the football that we won the state championships! (Middletown High 1985)

In spite of their local fame, these boys had character. They didn't get "caught up" in the things that popular boys do. They remained loving to a variety of peers, not just the popular crowd. There was never one person who could say anything bad about the Gallagher brothers. They, as young teens had what even adults lack today; integrity, character and compassion.

After high school, I went on my way with life. Some would say it was a "world tour"...hehehe.
I often wondered what ever happened to the Gallagher brothers and if life was good to them.

We just had our 20th year High School Reunion. I didn't go. I remember thinking that if I could just see the Gallagher brothers, I would go. The woman organizing it said, "we don't even know where they are!".


This week I was assigned to my dormitory. We work in a team of 4.

I met my other three workers, one of them was Jeff Gallagher!

I was so glad to see him, I hugged him so hard. We talked about the last 20 years, about his mother, brother and sister. Life has been good to the Gallagher brothers and for that, I am happy. His mother was one of the people in my life that helped me to overcome as a troubled child. She really walked what she preached.... I am going to write more about her one day.

For now, I am so overwhelmed with emotions at finding my friend, Jeff. I am looking forward to working side by side with him to help these children. I am looking forward to reconnecting with a family that made me feel so loved that healing was able to begin. . . and I am wondering if Michael still looks good without those g-curls!

I thank God for the connection.... I know it is his way of letting me know that I am exactly where I am supposed to be. I work over a half hour a way from home.... and Jeff lives over an hour in the opposite direction. Our path's crossing and connecting is a "God event". Those little messages of His love that keep us on His path....

-jane