Saturday, March 31, 2012

Roller Coaster

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Finally--the last day of March.

I lived on a roller coaster ride for the last eight weeks (and hung onto my might by the hairs of my chinny chin chin). For some, a roller coaster is a voluntary thrill-seeking joy ride. For me? Never. I don't see it any different than turning on my vacuum and inserting the hose into my mouth. No, thank you.

March's roller coaster was testy. It wasn't easy and it wasn't nice. As sickening as roller coasters are, whatever comes down can always roll back up.

Down:  March began with Boy's new family friendly schedule in the ICU.
Up:  In like a lamb--sunny blue spring skies.
Down:  The 'diary' continued for more than a week to end its course. Coughs and runny noses then kept us locked away from civilization for another four or five days.
Up:  We tried almost every flavor of Gatorade.

Whee!

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Up:  After a hard day of the sickies, Little Blue Eyes climbed up the couch and lay his head on my lap, asking for me to stroke his hair. For the first time ever, without being prompted, he looked up at me from my lap and said, "I love you, Mom." He added, "You're the best Mom." Happy tears for me that night.
Down:  The same little tender-hearted boy found me with sad tears the next day as I was kneeling in prayer. "Why are you crying, Mom?" he inquired as he tried to uncover my face buried in my arms. It wasn't long until his two little feet made off downstairs to alert his sleeping, overworked, post-call dad. "Mom sad! Mom sad! Wake up, Dad! Come help me!"
Up:  We had family come to visit for a few days.
and higher: We spent a day in Boston, ate at my favorite breakfast place in Hanover, and shared favorite places in the Upper Valley with them.
and highest: Boy had a day off to see them and we made the most of it.
then down, down, down: Their presence lasted only a few days and then they boarded a plane home.

Whee!

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Up: celebrated the birthdays of the two boys in my life.
and still Up: went to the theater to see The Hunger Games with girlfriends I barely ever see.
Down: got sick on my birthday.
Lower: ICU got the best of Boy. His poor brain got fried. A little amnesia maybe?
Lower: then it snowed...a little.
Then up...up...UP: a belated birthday surprise and weekend getaway to the Maine coast.

Life wouldn't be a life without multiple highs and lows, but with March ended on a high, I'm content that this triple birthday month didn't crash and burn. After celebrating my 30th birthday--for the second year in a row, this year has finally started right after all.

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