Pushing

"You just keep pushing. You just keep pushing. I made every mistake that could be made. But I just kept pushing." was her answer to her children as they interviewed her.

It's hard to believe that 90 years have passed and she was still kicking. Life comes and goes so fast, and yet some days seem so long.

As her children probed her memories came flooding faster than her tongue could process them. One thing stuck out in her mind more than anything, the time her children were young and her husband traveled. She thought of that period with fondness and trepidation.

"Every day I woke up wondering how I was going to face the day of changing three different diapered kids, get an older off to school, get the house cleaned up and food on the table. Many days I would cry in bed before braving the cold brisk morning air. I never woke to my own accord, it usually was one of y'all that crept into bed, or cried for me from downstairs because you were starving and needed some breakfast. I often responded with the fact that you knew where the food was and to get it yourself. I wasn't the most patient mother and y'all were quick to remind me of it.

"One morning I had had it, I was just about to curl back in the covers, lock my bedroom door and call it a day. I figured I had yelled at you enough that morning. It started when little Mikey woke up at 5 am screaming with what was yet another ear infection. As I tried to comfort him, Katie, woke up and came crying into my room, and I just wasn't sure what she wanted. Then up woke the other two and started demanding who knows what. I regrettably snapped and yelled at the bunch of you, because sleep is so precious to me. But you, Tom, reminded me that y'all were more precious than my sleep.

"You turned to me, after we were all crying, and said to me 'Mom, I miss Dad too, and I am sorry we woke you up.' Very simple words that just touched my heart. I hugged each of you and apologized as quickly as I could. Letting you know that I too loved you very much.

"As I look back at your younger years, as I look at you raising your kids and my grandkids raising their kids. Part of me aches for those days. Those days that seemed to move like I was walking in mud up to my knees. The days where I was just pushing to get through it. I envy young mothers, and the awesome responsibility they have. The fun that they get to have to watch as their young ones see a butterfly for the first time, or take their first step. Sometimes I got caught up in the daily grind, and missed the beauty of it all.?

Special Moment

As I sat watching my kids play together, laughing, teasing and enjoying each other's company, I thought to myself "it doesn't get much better than this."

Life has so many ups and downs. Sometimes it feels like some days, weeks or even years, are in the downs. But nothing makes life feel like the ups than just those tender sweet moments, when your child looks at you and says "I love you." or just comes and climbs in your lap and gives you a kiss and just wants to sit there with you.

The special moments in life sometimes may feel far and few between but if you look closely you can see that daily there are those moments. Moments to be captured in time, stored in our minds, to get us through the not so wonderful moments.

Hospital Stay

It had been a long 7 weeks since the birth of her sweet son. Having him was such a blessing but what was happening to her didn't feel like much of a heaven send at all.

As she thought back on his birth she was reminded that there was no labor involved in his birth, just a scheduled routine c-section. Though because of her past spinal blocks, it was very difficult to give her a spinal this time around. Scar tissue encircled the scar like sharks around a bleeding fish. After what seemed like forever the blue baby was born with his cord wrapped several times around him, as well as sporting two true knots. It was a miracle to hear him finally cry after getting some oxygen. Tears filled her eyes as she thought about this tiny infant in her arms, just as they had the first day she held him.

Why was she so sick? During her hospital stay after his birth, her incision became infected, blistered and a show stopper for all the nurses on the 4th floor who had to check it out. It took awhile for them to figure out that it was the sterie strips burning her sensitive skin. Once they were removed much relief was felt. But then her blood pressure began to rise and not even meds or laying on her side could control it. The doctors suggested she stay another day.

I am so glad to be home she thought as she looked at her newborn infant of just 7 weeks. Though she felt overly tired, exhausted and unsure of why she had another rash. When her son was just 2 weeks old she had broken out in another rash and ended up on steroids. She began to feel better, though her little infant thought that people stayed awake from 10 pm until 5 am, allowing her little to no sleep at all. No wonder she was so worn down she thought, I haven't slept for six weeks. Probably why when he was 4 weeks old she got a fever and sore throat.

"I just need to sleep" she thought as she held her little man in her arms, staring at his sweet and tiny features. Her six week check up had come and gone. But she had another appointment to get some birth control.

She had been overly anxious to go in to the doctor to get an IUD, she was a little apprehensive about the procedure yet very excited to know another one wouldn't be coming for a long while. She had every reason to be worried about the IUD, for some reason she bleed a lot, so much that the nurse had to get a blood clean up kit and she filled several pads in an hour. Luckily she was able to stay in the office and the bleeding got under control.

The next morning when she woke up, she discovered that her body once again was having an allergic reaction. "You got to be kidding me! I am probably allergic to the IUD!" she said aloud to herself. She called the OB and because she was 7 weeks postpartum they told her to call her primary physician. Being overly tired, emotional she broke down in tears. "What am I suppose to do?" she thought. She called her husband in tears and he called a doctor friend who told him to send his wife over.

"I don't know what to tell you about this rash, other than it appears to be systemic and possibly toxic shock. Who is your OB? Why wouldn't they see you? Who perscribed you Zoloft? You got an IUD yesterday? Oh I am so mad!" the doctor uttered as she spoke to the poor new mother. The doctor walked out of the room, called the OB, and sent the teared mother to their office.

"We're sorry we just don't know what to do about a rash. Oh you have a fever too?? We are just so unsure." was the response she got from the OB's office.

This was all on a Friday. Then Sunday, she couldn't get the strength to go to church instead she rested at home. Even her little newborn left for the four hours. As she was enjoying the silence and rest, the thought came to her. "You were really sick a few weeks ago with high fever, sore throat and you could have had strep and could now have scarlet fever?" She quickly went to the computer and googled scarlet fever. Sure enough her tongue her rash looked just like the pictures.

She called her husband to tell him her findings, to find out that their doctor friend who happened to go to their same church, was on her way over already to see how she was doing. She thought the scarlet fever sounded about right and that she should go get a strep test in the morning.

As a reluctant patient but one willing to get better, she went to the doctor and get a strep test. It was positive. Antibiotics were perscribed and she was sent home.

Knowing she needed lots of help the Relief Society President had called her to see if she could come by the next day and watch the kids for her. She was happy to have the help. Little did she know it was a scheduled blessing amist her not so blessed life.

She pleaded that her husband not go to work and stay home with her but he was unable to fullfill her wishes. Her friend called to offer to take the kids, but the RS pres was on her way over. She actually called and told her she would be there in about 15 minutes. She told her friend, not to worry about it. She was feeling light headed and dizzy and weaker than she had felt in a long time. She hung up the phone and crashed on the floor, to wake up to her two year old's tear streaked face, pulling away her mommy's hair crying "mommy, mommy."

With as much strength as she could muster she whispered to her son to come down stairs, amazingly he came quickly. He and his mom reassured the four year old that mom wasn't dead. The son grabbed the phone called Dad and told him to come home. Then called the neighbor to tell her that Mom had passed out and was laying on the floor. At that moment the RS President walked in the door.

The young mom was rushed to the ER to be sent back to the doctor's office she had visited the day before to only be sent back to the ER. Eight days, many tests, lots of blood drawn later, she came home. To realize it was going to be a long road ahead to recovery.

3 days have passed and the Path

Three days have passed since that fateful spring day. Sally had been taking a leisure walk along the dirt path through Madison Gardens. Her thoughts were on the blooming flowers and the lush green landscape. Bees were sipping sweet nectar from the blossoms. All around birds flew by stopping for brief moments on the tree branches to breathe in the fresh spring air before flying off to find more worms for their babies. She was in awe of such beauty and unaware of what lay before her on this path.

Through the sounds of chirping, buzzing,and the wind whispering, she heard footsteps approaching at a steady jogging pace. Up ahead of her was a bench nestled between two blossoming apricot trees, she thought that would be a great place to stop, rest and let the jogger pass her. While walking towards the bench she attempted to pull her water bottle out of her already too full bag, why did she always take that much stuff with her? As she pulled the plastic bottle out, a tampon and her keys fell out of her purse hitting the dirt path. She quickly attempted to bend over to recover her items.

The jogger with his head set on, admiring the beauty of his surroundings, didn't see Sally stopping. Before either of them knew it, he was tripping over the top of her, knocking her bag and items further across the park, landing flat on his face. What a first way to meet!

"Oh I am so sorry." he replied as he brushed the sand off his palms and knees. "Are you okay? I didn't see you stop. Here let me help you up." He said as he reached for her hand, as she was trying to gather and hide some of her unmentionables from her bag.

She reached for his hand, their eyes locked for but a brief moment. She embarrassedly and quietly said "Thank you. I am so sorry too."

Together they gathered the scattered items, running after a few fly away receipts. Sally rounding up as much as she could and quickly shoving it back into its original unorganized mess.

"I am Steve."

"Nice to meet you, I am Sally. So you come here often?" She replied with a little nervous chuckle, as he awkwardly handed her the feminine protection stick.

Paul Potts

Poor Pauly Potts performing proudly before people,
ponders possibilities of phame.

Sweet Sally Sue sat staring at the star as songs soared,
swiftly, softly, stunningly from the not so studly man.

Generous George Gunnyon gazed and gaawed at the Giant,
his ears glued to each gently hummed tune.

Curious Corrine Covington couldn't quite conceal,
her gasp of contentment.

Fable

There once was a boy named James who had two wonderful parents who loved him dearly. James lived near the edge of town in a small cottage with a straw roof. His family worked on a dairy farm owned by their neighbors.

One day his mother, who was sick in bed, gave him $5.00, because back where James lived $5.00 went a long way, to go and buy the family some groceries. James was excited with the chance to run an errand for his mom and be the dependable guy she expected him to be. He replayed her words in his mind, "Go straight to the store, do not stop for anything, buy only what is on the list and hurry home."

He hopped on his bike, flung his sac over his shoulder and began peddling as fast as he could. He thought about his up coming summer vacation as he began his six mile journey. Riding down the dirt road, with the dust flying behind, he saw something up ahead. From where he was it just seemed to be a black blob. His little legs peddled as fast as they could to reach the road obstruction. The closer he got the more he realized what lay before him. It was a herd of cattle.

In the middle of the cattle was a young calf that could not get up and walk. His mom's voice rang in his ear "don't stop for anything." But he knew that stopping right now would meet his mother's approval. He quickly turned around, road his bike back half a mile and turned down this side dirt driveway to Farmer Ted's house. He quickly dismounted his bike and ran to the front door. After several rapid knocks, Mr. Ted Smith answered the door.

"What can I do for you James."

"One of your calves is in the middle of the road, he appears hurt."

"Thank you James!." Mr. Smith said as he grabbed his keys off the side table and shut the door behind him.

"Throw your bike in the back of my truck and I'll give you a ride up the road."

"Thanks," replied James as he threw is bicycle in the truck bed, "I am in kind of a hurry my mom is sick and I need to do some errands for her."

They quickly reached the herd of cattle. Both of them stepped out of the truck. Mr. Smith headed straight to the injured calf, and James grabbed his bike. As James peddled off, Mr. Smith scooped up the young cow and put him in the back of his truck. He herded his cattle back behind the fence.

James now back on track and not too far off from his time schedule began to slow his feet, as he started on paved roads. Cautiously he watched for cars and trucks on the highway, though they were far and few in between they were fast.

He heard a car far behind him so he moved closer off the shoulder. When the car sounds came closer, they began to slow down. The car was driving at an almost stand still as it pulled in front of the young lad, and came to a stop. A little old gray haired lady, rolled down the window and beckoned James to her. That is when he noticed that her back tire had gone flat.

"Can you please help me young man? I must of hit a nail back there or something. My frail hands are not strong enough to change out my tire. Do you mind helping me?" Before he could let her know he really was in a hurry, he blurted out "Yes, Ma'am I'd be more than happy to help you."

15 minutes later, he tightened the last lug nut and wiped his greasy hands on his shirt. The lady graciously thanked him and offered him a $1 for his trouble. Even though money was tight, he refused her offer and told her it was his pleasure. He peddled off and thoughts of what he could have done with his money flooded his brain. "Why didn't I take the money?" he thought to himself.

Finally he arrived at the store. While pulling the shopping list out of his pocket he walked through the self opening doors. Milk, bread, eggs, apples and ice cream were on the list. He chuckled at the list, thinking about the fact that they lived next to a dairy farm and they had to buy milk. They also had an orchard of apple trees in the back but those were a few months off from producing fruit.

He grabbed a cart, walked down the aisles and tossed the necessary items in the basket. He approached the check out stand, to see three people in line before him. He looked down at his wrist to see that he was expected to be home in five minutes. "hurry hurry...why don't they have more than one check out stand. I am going to be late and my mom is going to be worried."

He placed his items on the black moving belt. Ching. Ching. Ching. Ching. Ching. "$4.95" the cashier said. James took the change and bills out of his pocket, while counting it out he placed it in the out reached worker's hand.

As quickly as possible he left the store, already a few minutes late, and unlocked his bike. As he rode out of the lot, he saw Farmer Ted's truck.

"Hey James, I put the calf in the barn and remembered you saying you were in a hurry, so I thought I'd catch up with you and see if you need a ride."

A big smile marked James face as he hoped into the truck. "Thank you so much! My mom worries if I am just a minute late, and now I am running on 7!"

"I'll get you home. And while I have you hear I have a question for you. Would you like to earn some money this summer by helping me out on my farm? I spoke with your parents and they said that I'd have to ask you but that they were ok with it."

"That will be great" James said as they drove down the dirt road.

The day turned out to be a good one, James thought as he opened the door to the cottage.

"I am home Mom! Mom?"

Chain Reaction

If you give a mother a night out, she will have to call a babysitter.
If she gets a babysitter to come over she will have to clean up the house.
If she has to clean up the house she will end up getting all sweaty and dirty.
If she gets all dirty she will have to take a shower.
If she takes a shower, she will notice the extra mold growing in the corners.
If she notices the mold, she will take a lot longer in the shower to get it all cleaned.
If she spends extra time in the shower, her husband will grow irritated at the fact that they will be late.
If her husband is all irritated she will not want to go out on a date.
If she doesn't want to go out on a date, she will never get a chance to leave her house.
If she never gets a chance to leave the house, she will never have to call a babysitter.
If she never has to get a babysitter, she will not feel obligated to clean up the house.
If she doesn't have to clean the house, she may just want to stay home in bed and forget her night out.