Tuesday, April 20, 2010

A Bird and a Blessing

Sunday was a pretty good day for us on a couple of fronts. Marty has been feeling pretty good and that always makes any day okay. We also had a really great visit from a couple of our younger friends from Houston and they were carrying a really wonderful story.

Marty is currently off of any antibiotics, she has adapted reasonably well to the anti-seizure meds, Keppra XR, and she is slowly, albeit painfully beginning to use her right arm more and more. When she uses it to eat we essentially do the wave at the table cheering her and encouraging her. We do this and she gives me her "eat poo and die look". I don't care, I really kind of like playing the fool for her from time to time. She thinks I'm kind of goofy.

Our young friends from Houston came by early yesterday afternoon with some really cool and amazing news. We have known Elizabeth ever since we came to Waco and have watched her grow up to be a wonderful woman. She is a Physician's Assistant in Houston and we are about as proud of her as her parents are. She's married John a few years back and we think he is okay; he had to be because Elizabeth liked him enough to marry him, oh well. Marty really likes it when they visit. Elizabeth was always one of hers.

I hate to break their news here because I don't want to steal the thunder from the prospective Grandmother, Sue. She should get to shout and sing praise the lord to announce her own grandchild. Oops, maybe I just did. Marty and I were thrilled that they came over and told us about the baby. This child will be born into a very loving family, and Elizabeth and John will be fantastic parents, it's just amazing to watch these people who were once so young become parents.
After our faux children came by Marty and I went out for our Sunday afternoon drive. Remember when old people used to do this? We aren't that old and gas is about 10x the cost but it's still a great excuse to leave the house and see some flowers. We drove around and sinned just a little bit with a Snickers ice cream bar. Those suckers are really good.

When we got back I started to transfer Marty from the car to her wheelchair. She normally is giving me instructions on how to do this, "get my chair closer", "you got me", "stand me up", "and let me down". Being bossy is her normal. I’m not sure why I like it now, it used to drive me nuts.

Right before I moved her I saw a cardinal I had seen flying around our van for several days. The bird kept seeing his reflection in the outside mirror of the van. Cardinals apparently guard their turf closely and this bird kept seeing his reflection in the mirror and was flying off and then flying back to peck the invader in the mirror. He did this several times until he felt satisfied he had vanquished the other bird.

I told Marty to watch and she turned her head just enough to see nature meet mirrored glass. She watched a bit and then said, "You know, that has to hurt". I suspect she tells the truth. I'm sure there is a greater allegorical comment I could make about the bird, the conflict of modern life with nature and the glory of procreation; but it’s simpler to say, it was a good day with abundant blessings.

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