My day, ho hum, but glowing memories. . . December 1, 2009

The day just finished nine minutes ago!  And I’m here reflecting.  This is where I break my day down and map it out for you in 550-650 words (hopefully ).  Today was mostly typical.  Worked on the business, went to my job.  Both went well.  Made headway on some of those picky icy areas that needed sorting out.  Went to John1′s to work on some things, got John2 on the speaker phone and for a couple hours we picked, poked, found solutions, and made some decisions.  So headway.  Perfect.

That’s my day from the black and white “entrepreneur business woman” end.  Not too exciting really.  Shrug.  Today what I think was worthy of ink to paper was this:

After work my eldest daughter whose name is Blessing, wasn’t feeling well at all.  I brought her some herbs, gave them to her with a glass of water, sat on the bed next to her, and rubbed her stomach for about 45 minutes.  Trying to sooth her past the pain and into sleep.  Her slender face was pale and winched with that drained look of exhaustion one has from dealing with a non-stop, crippling cramp that steals away even the ability to speak.

As I sat there in the silence of the soft, amber glow casting a small puddle of light into the room, all I could think was 19 years ago what I was now rubbing was called a “tummy”.  It was tiny and taunt and fit below my hand.   When she was sick I would scoop her up out of her crib, cradle her in the crook of my arm, and rub that tiny belly.  As she grew I eased her small body up from her twin bed onto me, sat on its edge, and rubbed her tummy.  Except now my hand didn’t cover nearly as much and her twin bed continuously seemed to shrink as her form covered more of it.

She’s 19 now and sleeps on a full size mattress.  Beautiful and grown.  Exuding the freshness and exuberance of a healthy adult, anxious to fully embrace the wonders that life holds for her as an adult.  I watch as she struggles to fully experience the weight of her independence.  Such a healthy thing.  A necessary thing.  Such an uncertain, wobbly time.  Wanting me at times and not at others.

But I’m proud to say that she’s doing a terrific job moving from her youth/teens on into her adulthood.  She’s sturdy, strong, and loving.  A hard worker and wise with her money.  For the last few months she’s been working her way towards her first apartment and if all goes according to plan, and it appears that is, she will be securing it and moving in in January.

So as I sat there in the quiet of the evening, on the well worn side of her bed reminiscing through time I couldn’t help but think…after January life is never going to be the same . . .

Night, love ya,
Theresa Jane
-It’s now 1:18 a.m. and I’m heading for bed.

Pumpkins, and Witches, and Bats. OH MY! . . . October 22, 2009

Halloween. Long ago memories wrap around me like a snuggly blanket. Faded memories of carefully examining every costume from among the matching boxes that lined the shelves. Then and only then did I make my choice picking the one that was just for me. Then came the waiting. Time seemed to inch by. Daily I would ask, “How many more days till Halloween?” I would nearly bust from waiting till I was able to slip the costume over my arms and shoulders and stretch the mask’s super, skinny elastic around the back of my head, and position it onto my face.

Finally Halloween day arrived and I brought my costume to school for the parade in the gym. Then, still fully dressed, back to our classrooms for our party, the beginning of the delicious sugar load. Once the bell sounded, I scurried home with great urgency, as if the faster and earlier I arrived it would push the hands of time ahead making it time for Trick or Treating when I got there. Five minutes after I got home I teased about what time it was, how long was that before it was time, could we start early, could we go to Grandma’s so I could show her my costume? And we did. Grandma, always the first to christen the bottom of my sack.

I love this! Fun!

Finally the time would arrive. Street lights glowing a warm yellow, cast a hint of eeriness adding to the aura of the occasion. The darkness would be filled with a deep chill requiring my heaviest pants, good old jeans, knee socks, and long sleeved shirt. I always at least tried to pull my costume over my fall jacket. But even if it didn’t fit I was going out, a sweater would have to do. The cold of the night wasn’t holding me hostage inside my house. Not when I had my new terrific costume and candy just waiting for me.

All dressed and ready I was out the door, bag grasped firmly in hand. I would locate my friends from the kids milling out on the street and with my mom trailing behind with the other mother’s, I would race from door adding my shout to the chorus, “Trick or Treat,” and gathering large quantities of delicious morsels of candy from every door that shone their light, beckoning us to come. It was always so disappointing to come to a house whose doorway was shrouded in darkness. I always felt a small twinge, and not just for myself and the loss of a candy opportunity. That dark doorway just seemed to illuminate sadness. Whoever dwelt inside didn’t want to enjoy the festivities that surrounded them.

Theresa Jane
-who is feeling all nostalgic and again counting the days till Halloween, when I get to be the mom trailing behind