LIMA — Tina felt honored and blessed when her friend asked her to be a godparent to her two young children.
That feeling turned to being a bit overwhelmed for Tina when Jaelen, 7, and Aromnee, 5, moved in with her last year. It became overjoyed when she received custody of them back in August. Now, she’s just feeling stretched thin.
Tina and the two godchildren, whose names have been changed to protect their privacy, don’t talk about how tight the finances are around their house. When she asked them what they wanted, with the direction of limiting it to two items, they clearly understood her stresses.
“(Jaelen) said, ‘I want some shoes and an outfit that matches,’” Tina recalled. “And I said thank you. You know, it’s really stressful trying to get them everything that I want without having much help.”
Tina, Jaelen and Aromnee are the final profile of the 26 families since Thanksgiving in this year’s Adopt a Stocking series. It’s an annual partnership between the Salvation Army and The Lima News to provide Christmas gifts for families who otherwise would be doing without them this year.
Generous readers donated $11,893.63, along with specific items for particular needs of families, to help these families have a merrier Christmas. People can continue to give to the fund after the holidays.
Any donations make a big difference for Tina, who had to replace her refrigerator and owed money for her apartment because she missed an income filing deadline related to having the two children with her now.
“I was kind of crying when I heard about (Adopt a Stocking),” Tina said. “I really needed that help. I was so extended. I was just happy because, you know, it’s hard right now, especially for people who don’t have jobs and are on a fixed income.”
Tina wasn’t expecting to be taking care of the children, but plans to place them with relatives of their birth mother fell through. Tina had always been close with them, often babysitting them or driving them places. Her mother developed a drug problem, though, which required moving the kids away from her and into Tina’s care.
“I don’t have any kids of my own, no,” she said. “It was kind of like all in a whirlwind, getting them into school, doing everything on my own.”
Jaelen has adjusted well, but he’s growing fast, into a size 8 or 9 as a 7-year-old. He’s a typical boy as far as his interests go, such as football, miniature cars and squishy balls. Jaelen likes baby dolls, Barbies and their accessories. And both children dream of having bicycles of their own.
Tina wants to increase the number of books in the house, including activity pads with stickers to help the children learn. She’s also looking for a three-bedroom place, perhaps with a shed outside, to replace her two-bedroom apartment.
They’re grateful to be together as a family, even if it wasn’t organized in a traditional way.
“We have a little tree. They’re appreciative of the little things I do try to get them,” Tina said. “… I’m just trying to make sure that I can do my part to help them grow up right.”
ADOPT A STOCKING
The Adopt a Stocking Fund benefits families during the holiday season. Monetary donations can be given online at give.salvationarmy.org/stocking or via Adopt A Stocking; c/o The Salvation Army; P.O. Box 234, Lima, OH 45801. All material donations for a specific family should be dropped off at The Salvation Army, 614 E. Market St., Lima, and should include a copy of the article or the date the story appeared in The Lima News. See past stories at LimaOhio.com/tag/stocking.
Reach David Trinko at 567-242-0467 or on Twitter @Lima_Trinko.
