Wahoozie!…Sigh…

When customers ask how the business is doing, I usually respond with a cautious “pretty good” or “better than last year.” And it’s true. But this month? This month has been surprisingly, spectacularly good. We’re $7,000 ahead of our gross sales compared to August last year. Wahoozie!!

It’s the kind of milestone that makes you pause. Four years ago, Arden Dispatch was just a dream. Today, it’s a place where we greet customers by name, hear their stories, and receive glowing 5-star reviews. Every day feels like hanging out with friends—and I’m so proud of our staff for creating that kind of space. They show up with heart, and it shows.

But life doesn’t always follow the script.

While the store was hitting record numbers, my personal life took a hard turn. My 93-year-old mom—fiercely independent, still living alone, still cleaning her house—fell, broke her femur, and then had a stroke. Sigh.

She’s now in the rehabilitation center, scared and disoriented. Her left arm isn’t moving, but we’re seeing signs of recovery in her leg. Still, she knows her life is changing. She won’t be returning to the home she’s lived in since 1964. I sit beside her, trying to absorb this new reality.

Thankfully, my amazing staff stepped in to cover shifts, and my brothers are flying in to help with next steps. I’m not fully present at the store right now, and yet our customers have shown us nothing but grace. Drivers have offered hugs. Clients have been patient when I couldn’t be there for a notary.

It’s hard to reconcile the joy of a business breakthrough with the heartbreak of watching a parent decline. But maybe that’s what grace looks like—holding both at once. And I’m grateful to be surrounded by a community that understands.