Point and Ye Shall Receive

I’m back in Austin -- called in for “Nana Patrol”. Ryan is running his 52nd full marathon in the Boston Marathon today. He runs this one to raise funds for the Michael Lisnow Respite Center, a place that provides emotional and physical support for those with disabilities and their families.

While on Nana Patrol, I get to be a part of Brennan's baseball tournaments. This weekend's games were at the “Field of Dreams” (I love that name!) baseball fields in Dripping Springs, 40 minutes away – practice warm-up at 7:15 am! Because we had time between games, Brennan and some buddies chose Crazy Crepes for breakfast. What an eye-opener I had!

The aromas are heavenly at this small town, crepe eatery that is packed full of guests. There are just a few tables indoors and an attached covered outdoor area. A sign reads “Point and Ye Shall Receive,” the simplest way for customers to order a meal from the all-deaf staff. At a small counter, a lovely woman takes our orders as we point to the items we want.

The Crazy Crepes story is of a family of immigrants struggling to bring a dream to life in America. It is the story of a deaf-owned business, which discovered taste as a universal language that transcends barriers to communication. Vladimir and Inna Giterman came from Russia to Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1990 with their son and six years later they arrived in Austin, where they had their first American-born daughter, Michelle.

Vladimir and Inna had business ideas in America, where there was a possibility for deaf people to start their own companies. They hosted parties with friends and cooked their beloved crepes, a time-honored recipe from Vladimir’s mother. Their original flavors were ham and cheese, and Nutella and banana (my grandsons’ favorite), which they sold out of a small food truck downtown Austin in 2007. Their son found a Craigslist posting for a site in Dripping Springs, and the family opened their first brick-and-mortar location there in 2014. They opened a second store in Austin just a few months ago.

They strongly believe in supporting the local deaf community. All of their contractors, electricians, chefs, and staff are deaf. “We hire deaf people because they have a hard time getting a job out there,” Michelle Giterman writes. “We know they are as talented as anyone. And it’s really nice for us to be able to communicate with our workers without worrying about any communication barriers. “It’s a win-win situation for all of us.”

My grandsons could see I was enamored with this place and this family. They asked, “Why are you taking pictures?” I explained: “I have a blog coming and it’s going to be about those who say 'I can’t do that because I’m not smart enough. I can’t do that because I’m too old. I can’t do that because I’m not talented enough. I can’t do that because I’m a girl. I can’t do that because I’m overweight. I can’t do that because I don’t have enough money. I can’t do that because I have a handicap." Etc. Etc. Etc. And, I’d like to say, “Oh yes, you can do anything because Philippians 4:13 says, " I can do ALL things through Christ Who strengthens me." NO excuses!

When someone says, “I can’t do it” . . . I say to myself, “What do you mean you can’t do it?” Maybe you don’t want to do it, but saying you “can’t” do it is a completely different story. With the right mindset, positive attitude, and a clear vision of what you want to accomplish, the only thing that is holding you back is yourself. These wonderful Russian immigrants proved it. They brought a blessing to the U.S. They showed us there is nothing we can’t do when we start saying "I CAN do this!".