You Made this Christmas Miracle Happen

   Until last year, Nancy and Larry Bell had not had the Christmas they dreamed of in more than 30 years. Their daughter Colleen, who spoke about her personal journey at our People Who Care benefit this October, had moved out in her early teens. As Colleen had explained in her speech, her "parents were loving" and she "wanted for nothing." Yet for 30 years, she had struggled with undiagnosed bi-polar disorder and from the emotional repercussions of having been molested as a young girl by a cousin. 

     As last Christmas approached, Nancy just knew it was going to be special. Colleen had been at Miryam's House for a few months.  Her parents could tell that she was different.  No more false hope, no more hopping on and off of the wagon.  This seemed like the real road to recovery.

   In their warm and welcoming home, the Bells talked about the anguish of watching helplessly as their daughter tried to cope by either self-medicating or running away.  Colleen's behavior took its toll on the whole family.  Nancy even tried parenting classes in the hope she could have an impact on Colleen's behavior. It didn't help especially since no one recognized what Colleen's underlying issues were.  Even if they did make the rare diagnosis (for the time) of bipolar disorder in a youth, the treatment option would have most likely been shock therapy in Medical Lake. "Pretty archaic," Larry comments.

   During the 30 years since her early teens, Colleen had two children, many unhealthy relationships and a few trips to rehab. But she only experienced temporary success. Just before moving to Miryam's House, Colleen was living with her parents.  According to Nancy, she had "zombied herself" on medication.

   While Colleen was following house rules, she wasn't really living.  Nancy was scared to open her room door in the morning, afraid Colleen would be dead from an overdose.

   Nancy and Larry wanted a better life for her and pushed for answers.  That was when Colleen discovered Miryam's House.  She applied, was accepted, and "felt very fortunate to get in." Nancy remembers seeing a real difference in Colleen: "her life started changing dramatically."

   Looking back, Nancy and Larry realize there really wasn't much they could have done differently.  They weren't experts in the mental health field.

   At Miryam's "they were knowledgeable with what was going on with her," Larry noted. "This is what they do, they help people. She was headed for destruction, they saved her life."

   The relationship with Colleen was one of the toughest things for Nancy during these past 30 years. Reflecting on their relationship now, Nancy mentions something that happened this past Thanksgiving.  She had baked too many pies and called Colleen to offer some since she knew Colleen was hosting her boyfriend and his family for the holiday.

   "Oh hi Mom," Nancy remembers Colleen saying, "I was just about to call you." Curiosity and a small bit of worry crept into Nancy's head... but Colleen had just wanted to say "Hi" and "I love you."

   However, Nancy's real holiday miracle came last Christmas, just a few months after Colleen had moved into Miryam's. It was the Christmas Spokane broke all sorts of records for snowfall. Nancy felt that God made sure her family would all be together this Christmas. Nancy knew it was the first time in 30 years that Colleen would walk in the door clean and sober.  Colleen's brother was flying in from Portland but kept warning his mother that he might not make it. The airports were jammed and chances were very slim he would be able to catch a flight before Christmas. But Nancy was confident everything would fall into place. Miryam's had helped Colleen begin the healing process and she was stable, sober, and healthy. Even the Fed-ex guy had shown up just in time to deliver the last of their packages before Christmas.

   Nancy's son somehow made it into Spokane.  His flight that wasn't supposed to get in somehow did and the family had their best Christmas in 30 years.

   Everyone was there, sober and really present. Their family had begun to rebuild itself. 
Both Nancy and Larry feel that God has plans for Colleen. They always thought she was destined to "sit behind a big oak desk somewhere." After seeing Colleen share her story at this year's People Who Care Helping Women Who Dare, they feel that "big oak desk" turned out to be a podium. "He has a plan for her," Nancy explained, "I know everyday she wakes up... God has a purpose for her life," which she believes is to inspire others with her story of her recovery and renewal which started at Miryam's.