Nothing makes my daughter’s grin widen more than doing something nice for somebody else. And although her budget is small, her heart is huge. Lindsey sure loves to give. (To read about one of her other acts of kindness, click here.)
My daughter has filed paperwork for State Farm agent, Analene Waterman, for over five years now. “I work fulltime, two hours a day,” Lindsey tells anyone who asks. “I love my job. It’s the best job I’ve ever had.”
This Silverton insurance agency is incredibly patient with my daughter–Lindsey is not an easy employee. “I know I make mistakes,” Lindsey said. “Sometimes I file things in the wrong place. But I keep trying.”
The State Farm staff supports my daughter; they answer her questions (often the same ones over and over again); they listen to her concerns, her worries.
So once each year, Lindsey wants to show her appreciation to Analene, and to all the employees who help her do her job. Lindsey orders an assortment of Subway sandwiches and chips and treats the crew to lunch. “It’s a good way to say thank you to Analene Waterman for my job,” Lindsey said, using both Analene’s first and last names. (Lindsey actually uses both names every time she speaks of her boss.) “It’s fun to do, and it feels good too.”
Every December, Lindsey asks her dad to make his “famous” chocolate chip cookies, “because Dennis loves your cookies, Dad,” she says, referring to the owner’s husband. “Well, everybody likes ’em, but Dennis loves ‘em.” And her dad is happy to oblige. (He does bake excellent cookies!)
This morning Lindsey couldn’t wait to go to work. She put on black slacks and a red holiday sweater. “It’s my ‘Thank You Lunch Day,’” she explained, splaying her fingers and waving her arms around in the air. “But I still gotta look professional,” she said, walking into the office with a Cheshire Cat grin plastered across her face. She directed her dad to put the food on the break room table, then Lindsey chatted with a couple co-workers, gave us a tour of her office, and finally, she grabbed a handful of files. “I’ve gotta get to work, Mom. I wanna keep my job.”
Tis the season to give, to appreciate. And Lindsey does a heck of a job with both of these attributes. Way to go Lindsey!
And Happy “Thank You Lunch Day” to everyone at Analene Waterman’s office!
My first book will be coming out September 26, 2017. If you are interested in learning more about Loving Lindsey: Raising a Daughter with Special Needs, please click here.
