A while back, I was quite sick. My leg had become infected in some way and looked like it might just fall off. For a short time, I frankly worried that I would lose my leg. I had extreme flu symptoms, I felt terrible and couldn't eat or drink for days. After being that sick, you tend to come out of it a little changed. At least temporarily, you look at things a bit differently.
The day that the world started to look brighter, I was sitting downstairs in the living room and writing in my journal. It was very early in the morning, so I was able to watch as the day unfolded. I was strangely impressed at how precious that very ordinary morning was and I started writing down everything as it happened. Here is that entry.
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7:00am - Hair askew, and not yet fully awake, Sarah meanders into my bedroom. Her pants are a little big, so she has one finger in a belt loop, which she continues to hitch up, to no avail. I say "Good morning Sarah." She says, "Good... morning... daddy." She continues into the bathroom, a little top heavy and unstable, numbly bumping into the door jamb on the way. She manages to make it to the sink for a drink of water. Then she wanders back over to where I am and leans into me for a hug. I hold her for a while, tickle her a bit, then she wonders out of the room to destinations unknown.
8:15am - Lindsey enters the room as always, full of purpose and stressed about something. This time it's because her hair dryer isn't drying her hair fast enough. She quickly leaves only uttering "this will never get my hair dry". Later I hear Jenny laughing from her makeshift bed in Lindsey's bedroom. It's a treat for Jenny to sleep in Lindsey's "her big sister's" bedroom and has been happening with increasing frequency lately. One of the treats or special parts is to be woken with a tickle. Her bed is a combination of blankets, pillows, rice pads and stuffed animals thrown together on the floor in the corner of the room at the feet of Lindsey's bed. Is it any wonder that Lindsey's nickname for Jenny is "minion". :)
8:45am - The house is pretty quiet with the occasional morning sounds coming from various parts. A bump and a squeek means Amanda is beginning to stir. No sign of Tyson yet who was up late last night cooking the family favorite, banana nut muffins!
9:00am - Mom returns from the M.D. Appointment. All clear on the mammogram. "Anything I can do for you honey?" she says. With all she's got going, she always manages to ask that question, at least once a day. Christine keeps the house going. She is the center of the home. The all important hub of love, comfort and support that we all come home to. No time to waste, a mess is left from the muffin cooking the night before, there're flute lessons to taxi to, and zoo to prepare everyone for.
9:30am - Lindsey says "Ty won't wake up mom!" "He's such a sleepy head." Later, Tyson meanders down the stairs and makes an animated face of disgust. Mom already knows what's the problem. I'm a little confused, although I should probably know. The CD for some kid singalong is playing. Arguments ensue between Lindsey and Tyson. Not a real argument really. Just the usual energetic banter they always get into. Meanwhile Sarah keeps repeating at the top of her lungs "Whoever wants to go to the zoo, raise your hand!" She only stops when Lindsey intercedes with "Thank you, Sarah."
10:00am - Sarah runs into where I'm sitting and offers me a painting she just finished of little faces. She says, "Here daddy, it's all different faces" and she gives me the painting. "I did it with my fingers. But, don't touch it yet." I say, "No?" "No, it's water color" I say, "Oh, and it's not dry yet?" She nods and quickly runs out the living room, makes a mighty leap over someone's backpack left in the doorway, with one finger still hooked into a belt loop hitching up her pants.
In an instant, Sarah reappears with another painting. "Here daddy" and offers it to me. "Oh, it's birds!" I say. "Yeah, those are the daddy hawks and those are the mommy hawks", pointing to them. I say "It's so pretty." She says, "Yeah, and, it's snowing."
10:00am - Amanda comes in and sits down next to me looking a little sad. She's thnking of not going to the zoo. She's such a home body sometimes and doesn't want to go unless she can have a friend along. "My boots, by booooots, oh where are my boots, oh where are my boots, boots, boots, booots, booots" Sarah sings as she walks by. Amanda is glum, with a typically warm, poised and loving disposition. Jenny walks in "Dad do you know where your backpack is?" I say "What backpack?" She say "The one you got from your trip." I don't know and I'm struck that Christine would know. She has an incredible nack for details.
Amanda wants me to tell her it's OK to stay home. But, I won't. Just now the phone rings and it's one of Amanda's friends. Amanda instantly animates and closes herself in the bathroom with the phone and the comfort of a friend on the other line. Her friend Farwa tells her she can go and now Amanda's happy and is going to the zoo too.
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