So the old addageof March being like a lion or a lamb has new meaning for our family as the whole month (and the latter part of February) has had its share of "lion-like" moments (not weather-wise), rather event and circumstances.
Both Jani and I and the kids typically have cast iron immune systems. If we get anything..colds, flu..it is typically short-lived. Even Rowan with her asthma, has a solid immune system. Well, apparently, this was the winter/spring for the creepie-crawlies to find some small crack in those cast-iron immune systems. We have spent the better part of a month with each of us down for the cunt somewhere along the way. Gemma with a stomach bug and then a cold. Rowan with a nasty virus with a five-day fever (she missed an entire week of school). Me, with just my regular sinus crud (keeping fingers crossed and a bottle of Lysiene at the ready). Jani wins the prize though with stomach flu, the dreaded virus and
Rowan has won the prize for the greatest drama though. Yesterday morning, while fixing herself some breakfast (yes, she wants to do her own breakfast..part of that desire for independence), she decided to vary from the pre-approved menu and helped herself to a container of chicken and rice soup. As she was opening it, the pull tap broke off and the metal lid sliced into her thumb. When Jani came into the kitchen, she was greeded with lots of blood, Rowan running her hand under water to try to clean it and stating, "Mom, I think this is bad." So off to Urgent Care we went. To ours (and hers) happiness, the cut was such that they could use skin glue, rather than stitches. So she is wearing a pressure bandage and has her arm in a sling for a few days to keep the hand above her heart to help the glue set and the wound stay closed.
We have also begun to experience the "sandwhich" effect of having little kids and aging parents. Jani's folks, in their early 80's returned last summer from several years of living in Indonesia to a rather cascading effect of health issues. Her dad had developed untreated Type II diabets which the family didn't know about until he started suffering some post-operative isues after knee surgery on Valentine's Day. So, he's recovery from the surgery (had to have a second surgery about two weeks ago as the first one got infected) and learning how to manage diabetes, diet changes and insulin shots. Amongst all of his stuff, Jani's mom had severe belly pain which resulted in emergency abdominal surgery for her. Jani spent four days with them after their return from the hospital, helping them re-acclimate to life and we've been down as a family to visit and help out. Current things seem to be calm on that front.
My folks have nearly completed all of their home repairs post Hurricane Wilma. Amidst dealing with their insurance company claims and finding a contractor to do the work, Dad fell at work in January and got a severe hemotoma which landed in in the ER three or four times and finally an extended hospital stay. Mom just called a few nights ago to inform us, that after six weeks of looking like he was finally healing, things regressed again. He's back in the hospital, getting his blood thinners re-regulated and hopefully rehabbing his hip/leg soon. The best we can do, given that we're in Wisconsin and their in Florida is give my mom an emotional outlet and keep dad company over the phone and send down goodies and grocery store gift cards.
Throw into the mix the fund-raisers I coordinate in the spring..Girl Scout cookies for Rowan's troop and a plant/flower sale for Rowan's school, preppring my taxes for the business and our personal taxes, a heavy travel schedule for me for work..and just an added treat, having one of my client groups appear on the front page of the paper..twice..and not for good reasons.
There have been wonderful moments woven into these past six weeks....
Rowan's school choir sang at the State Capitol..some wonderful peace and justice music. Very proud Mama moment!!
Gemma is registered for kindergarten..holy cow how did THAT happen that this child will be going to kindergarten in the fall?!
Jani and I have managed to preserve our Thursday night "dates" amongst the mayhem, so we still get lovely couples time. Last night we saw a friend, a jazz muscian perform while having an outstanding dinner and dessert.
Rowan's second grade has an art show premiere in a couple of weeks in a local coffee shop.
Jani and my women's spriituality group is organizing an art show of our collective works after 13 years of being together and creating art that comes out of our ritual. This is a very exciting step for us. Art show is in mid-May.
We feel well-blessed by the friends who have been so helpful to our family in these past weeks.
So..we're under a high wind advisory today...hopefully blowing the winds of change through out lives. March can march right on out of here like a lion and we'll gladly welcome the warming days of April with our baby plants peeking up through the ground, reminding us about the wonders and mysteries of life.
