Summer Id

My favorite season is fall for many reasons - none of which we will cover today. But a very close runner up is summer. Summer is the Id of seasonal personalities. It is the impulsive, risk taking, routine breaking, live for the moment and the moment is now season. Summer is the fun and carefree season – a time without worry. Truly, we cannot control the weather, the economy, the price of gas, or the governmental feud over healthcare – but we can control our fun. Summer gives us that. It is a three month break from serious responsibility because we know, come Friday afternoon, summer and all it has to offer is waiting for us. The rest of the world can wait till Monday morning.

Summer 2009 has been an exceptionally fulfilled summer for my family. Every weekend has been full of friends, family, and foolishness. It kinda makes me feel like this is how life was supposed to be lived. I certainly makes me feel like a kid again.

Here is an excerpt from my past weekend.

Thursday Thrills:
Keb’ Mo’ at the Meijer Gardens. Our friends, Suzy and Doug prepared a gourmet picnic, Mother Nature spoiled us with a rain free evening, and Keb’, well, Keb’ just sang the Blues.

Friday Friend Night:

Slumber Party Time. Friends Anne and Sherri and I spent the night in Maddy’s Tree house. We ate junk food, listened to Michael Jackson’s Thriller, told stories, and watched two polar opposing chick flicks: Never Been Kissed and Knocked Up. We laughed – a lot.

Saturday Sisterhood. For the first time in too long the girls and I had a road trip. We traveled to Sutton’s Bay to have lunch with our friend Linda and then decided to stimulate the economy in her store, The Happy Woman Store (www.thehappywomanstore.com).

Sleepy Sunday. On Sunday I rested – because it is a rule. But also, while I feel like a kid again – I am actually a nearly middle aged woman and I need rest. I did indulge in one more girl friendly activity. I watched Drop Dead Diva on Lifetime and I have to confess, this show has won me as a fan.

Look below for a lesson learned – and your assignment.

The Salon

She walked into the salon yielding her phone. She was mid-conversation. I glanced up, lending a slight smile because she demanded attention. Her hair was raven black. She was sporting expensive shoes, a leopard top with a cashmere sweater over it. She instructed the stylist to ‘make up her color while she made another phone call’, it was clear she wasn’t waiting for a reply.

While the stylist waited patiently for her to speak with her assistant, we all learned that she had just sent American Express $2,000 and their bill just didn’t make sense. She also barked out an array of computer problems she was experiencing, re-confirmed an up-coming surgery (August 25 as a matter of fact), and unleashed a string of complaints of just how dumb those she encounter were on a daily bases. For the rest of her visit, she made and received a number of calls and strutted around the salon as if it were her home.

By the quiver in her voice and the lines on her face, I would guess her to be in the late 60’s – mature enough to have an understanding of her actions on others.

I must confess the salon can give the illusion of a stage and I have found myself guilty of seeking the center of it. I have told witty stories knowing I have a captive audience. I have found myself speaking louder to overcome the sounds of the air conditioner, music, voices, and hair blowers. I have also heard stories - wickedly funny stories - and corporate secrets that shouldn’t been aired in public. Perhaps the environment creates this sense of entitlement – the pampering and self-indulgence. Perhaps, the salon is place of freedom and security – where all is told in confidence. Perhaps . . . .not?

Happy 5th Anniversary!

It is hard to plan your response to bad news. You might envision yourself being strong, determined, and able to withstand anything or you might guess that upon the telling you would breakdown and cry. Truthfully, I hadn’t any notion of how I would handle the life changing news when they found a tumor in my little girl. I do know that in the cold and sterile hallway of my small town hospital my surreal life began.

We were instructed to rush to the Children’s Hospital; our room in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) was being prepared. The drive was one hour and by the time we arrived Maddy could no longer walk. Her daddy carried her into the emergency room where they rushed her to PICU and immediately begin her biopsy while placing her on dialysis to save her kidneys. The biopsy result: Burkett’s Lymphoma, an aggressive form of cancer that can double in size within 48 hours.

Prior to Maddy’s diagnosis I had known friends and family with cancer. I had been touched by their stories but I had no idea just how evil cancer is. But with Maddy I saw the evil and destruction this disease tries to impart. Cancer not only impacts the physical body – but it tries to destroy the spirit. It tries to change the soul of the person and her caregivers. Through the Grace of God alone, our family fought against cancer and in our fight we sought the many blessings that were given to us at that time. Our journey gave us friendships (both new and old), opportunities, and love: deep strengthened love within our family.

Now on the eve of our community’s Relay for Life and the fast approaching anniversary of Maddy’s diagnosis, July 22, 2004, I write this first entry of my Blog. This Blog was an item on my Bucket List and I can think of no finer way to celebrate Maddy’s life than by fully living my own. I hope you enjoy reading it and that you come back to visit often.

During Maddy’s battle I would post updates on her status through CarePages and with each post I would make an assignment for the reader. I will continue this tradition in this Blog. To be honest, those assignments were really reminders to me, to enjoy the day and the many blessings within it.

For a more details on Maddy’s Story visit the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital website: http://www.devoschildrens.org/body.cfm?id=63