Tough Times & What I Know For Sure

I feel like the richest, luckiest woman in Oakland County.  Sure we are being held captive by a cruel Norovirus that EVERYone in the family is getting.  And yeah, the beautiful snow has turned to stupid rain/ice/snow mix.  Oh and there's the whole we live in a not-so-fancy rental house and we're always on the verge of being broke in a county that well, is mostly filled with nice homes and people with lots of money.  But STILL I feel rich and lucky.  Blame my dumb attitude on Charles Ingalls (yeah, Pa) in  classic episodes of Little House On the Prairie and my amazing (albeit very germy) family.

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A few days ago, I didn't feel lucky or rich.  I felt pissed.  I felt like I was dying.  And so did Tim.  In 12 years of parenting, he and I have never been sick at the same time.  I mean sick where you-can't-get-out-of-my-bed-holy-shit-who-is-going-to-run-the-house-take-care-of-the-kids-call-the-school-let-the-dog-out-make-breakfast-and-lunch-and-dinner-and-what-the-hell-is-going-to-happen sick.  He and I could not get out of bed.  

"I guess we'll just take care of ourselfs," announced Wade with profound excitement.

I laid in bed so sick just kind of hoping they could take care of everything but not really having faith in their ability to stop bickering and eye-rolling.  But then just like a Christmas miracle, or even better, a storyline from an episode of Little House on the Prairie, my kids rose up to the challenge.

This picture was taken in a rare everyone calmly getting along moment pre-sickness, back when we used to eat.

Lucy made the little kids breakfast. She packed her bag for school and left on her own.  Peyton was home sick already because of a previous bout with Pink Eye (otherwise known as Bob Costas disease in our house, yeah we've been watching a lot of Olympics around here).  Peyton played with Wade and JT (because of course JT was home sick too), he made them lunch, he emptied the dishwasher AND loaded it, he separated the little boys when they started fighting, he took care of the dog.  "Are you kidding me? I just sat down," I heard him say after one of the kids spilled their water, sounding frustrated but still getting him more water.  Lucy came home from school and the older kids made dinner for each other.  They even set up a tray for Tim and I, but we rose our heads up from our pillows in time to say thanks but no food, please no food.

Even though I felt like I was dying, my heart was bursting with pride and love.  Yeah, it wasn't losing the wheat crop or the mill closing like in the Little House episodes. But it was tough times this week for us.  And just like Laura, Mary, Carrie, Ma and Pa, we pulled together and took care of each other. Remember the episode where he the whole family has to work their asses off just to pay their debt to Mrs. Oleson and the whole town knows they are down on their luck and then Nels Oleson (good 'ol Nels) says "Charles, with a family like that, I think you are the richest man in Walnut Grove."  I stood at the doorway looking at my amazing (abeit very germy) family and my chin quivered and I felt the just like Pa, with a family like mine, I felt like the richest, luckiest woman in Oakland County.  Unlike Pa, I promptly ran to the bathroom to throw up.  

My family isn't perfect (like the Ingalls), but in tough times I am so happy to know my kids can rise up and take care of each other, I know that for sure.

Here's what else I know for sure this week:

• We felt a lot better earlier in the week.

(I know people are sick of my "we love winter" and "we love to play hockey" pics, but I can't stop.)

• Charles (Pa) on Little House on the Prairie was so wise.  Check out some wisdom from the previously mentioned episode.

• Here's more proof of how fun we are when we are healthy.  Check out our highlight reel.

• Listen to Your Mother Metro Detroit has a CAST and a local megaphone sponsor- Henry Ford Health System and it's sooo exciting.  Click here to check out all the latest news.

• Jimmy Fallon killed it this week on Late Night.  I was too sick to stay up and watch most nights, but loved the clips everywhere.  This one was a favorite-

What do you know for sure (this week)?  C'mon, we're friends, share what you know. 

Leave a comment here or on my Facebook page or on Twitter.

Please come play with me on Instagram @jumpingwithmyfingerscrossed.

The Pulse of Compassion- "Give A Minute, Help Make-A-Wish"

Standing in line at the store, I heard a beeping noise.  Beep.  Beep. Beep. My pulse started racing and my eyes filled with tears.  It was the same sound we had heard in the hospital.  Haunting me.  Reminding me of loss and sadness.  The anxious feeling only lasted around 10 seconds and then I went back to shopping.  I pushed my cart forward and my anxiety deep inside and carried on.

                           ******

Beep, beep, beep....over and over.  It was quiet, but it was there beeping like the ticking of a clock or some ominous sound from a dark and twisty Edgar Allen Poe poem.  Beep, beep, beep.  It was coming from machines keeping people alive, machines checking the blood pressure and heart rate and IV fluids and everything else that needs checking.  

We waited for the doctor while the beeping beeped.  While we waited for confirmation that my pregnancy was over, we felt powerless.  We didn't talk much.  We held hands.  We held onto what was good and true and full of love.  We held onto each other.

Our bond grew deeper and so did our compassion for people that have to feel these feelings of fear and worry for their family.  Parents of chronically ill children who sit and listen to the beeping while holding onto hope that their children will get better. Having to parent through their heartache.

Beep. Beep. Beep.  A haunting reminder of a reality that doesn't make sense.

Last week, we were in the hospital again for Lucy's punctured finger (a nasty splinter that needed a doctor's attention).  She asked about the beeping machines.  She asked about all the machines and screens and charts and tubes in the room.

While we waited for the doctor, feeling powerless, I held her hand.  I held onto what was good and true and full of hope and love.  

Once again, my heart grew with compassion for any child that has to face illness and fear and uncertainty.

Beep. Beep. Beep. A constant reminder of being afraid.

                           *****

I don't want to be haunted by the beeping forever.  I don't want to relive that feeling of powerlessness.  I want to remember my feelings of empathy and love for families and children who are sick and hurting.  I want to do something...I want the beeping to represent a reminder of love. A pulse of compassion.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

I want to hold onto each other.  And I can, and you can, we all can.  

There are so many ways to make a difference.  Volunteer at a hospital or nursing home, donate to a charity that helps families in need, walk in a walk or run in a run.  Reach out to your neighbor who has a sick elderly mother.  Call a family whose child is in the hospital and offer to drop off dinner for them.  (The best advice I got from an older friend at church one time was never say "let me know if you need help" to someone in need. Most people won't want to "bother" you or are so overwhelmed they don't know what to ask for.  She advised being specific with offers such as "I'll drop off dinner tomorrow night, I'll set it on your front porch" or "I'm dropping some groceries off later today."  Seriously, good advice in my opinion.)

This month, YOU can also help raise a million dollars for Make-A-Wish.  

You've heard of Make-A-Wish right?  Make-A-Wish grants the wish of a child diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition.  They help ease the pain and the worry.  They are about joy and love and holding onto what is good and true.

  

For the second year in a row, StraightTalk is hosting "Give A Minute, Help Make-A-Wish" promotion to raise the million dollars (Click here for more information  bit.ly/Straighttalkwish).

Here's how you can get involved:

• Every Saturday in September, Straight Talk Wireless will donate $1 to Make-A-Wish for each person that visits their participating local Walmart and takes a minute to learn more about Straight Talk.

• Straight Talk will donate a minimum of $500,000 to Make-A-Wish and up to $1,000,000.

• Don't live near a Walmart? Really? No worries. From now until September 28, when you share the video on straighttalkwish.com, Straight Talk will donate $1 to Make-A-Wish®, up to $100,000 (one donation per viewer, per day) towards their $1,000,000 goal. It's fast, easy and worth every second!

Straight Talk is a service provided by TracFone Wireless Inc., America’s largest no-contract cell phone provider in the U.S. 

Straight Talk is available exclusively at Walmart and the cost savings of not having to maintain stores is passed directly on to customers.  Straight Talk has all of the same phones as the contract carries, including name brands like Samsung, Apple, Windows and LG. The “ALL YOU NEED” plan for $30 a month to receive 1,000 minutes, 1,000 text or multimedia messages, 30 MB of data transfer for data phones and 411 calls at no additional charge.

Because you took one minute to learn more about Straight Talk more sick children will have wishes granted.  

Beep. Beep. Beep.  The sound resonates now less like a scary, sad reminder of loss.  Now it can be more like the beating of our collective hearts full of love...the pulse of compassion.

We can all make a difference.

I participated in this sponsored campaign for One2One Network. 
I received monetary compensation, 
but all opinions stated are my own.