Household Blues

April 2009

"Household Blues"

Me smells a stink I cannot place

Is it from the kitchen, or the fireplace?

I follow my nose to a lower bathroom

Where a thick stench does indeed loom

Unidentified objects afloat in the tub

Is that what I think it is? ---- UGH!

Where’s the husband? Out of town

(Which is usually the case when bad things go down)

Five children all nestled sweetly in bed

I wonder aloud who caused the dread

Golf balls, catfood or a toy that was flushed

Must’ve caused the mess I now fix in a rush

The first plumber I find in the yellow pages

Can he come after 10pm - is the cost outrageous?

I'll pay anything, anything, ANYTHING, dear.

(It's 11:30 and they're almost here!)

Sweet sound of the door bell - ringing, just now

Roger-the-Plumber, will fix this somehow

What? WHAT'S THAT YOU SAY?

To expect this to happen again someday?

It turns out a tree that is nicely matured

was planted too closely to the pipes with the turd

"How could anybody be so stupid?" I ask

(Some home builders here are a pain in the ---)

I begin to reflect on purchases made

throughout the last year - call the brigade!

First, went the air conditioner - right out the door

Then the oven, microwave, and refrigerator.

We painted the walls in a lovely faux

Replaced lots of furniture, too, don't ya know

Jesús came to paint the house’s exterior

He needed the job, his work was superior!

New hardware for the door was required

Broken shutters must wait - I’m getting tired!

Crumbs on the countertop with no occasion

Were really a royal termite invasion

Our house was treated by “professionals”

Looking dubiously skilled with their chemicals

Same guys who’d waged war with the ant mess

Who’s winning that one? It’s anyone’s guess

Next came the patio umbrella out back

And later the basketball hoop, which was cracked.

The roof was leaking and needed repair

I'm waiting for carpet, in total despair

My dryer died at the end of the week,

Before I left town, it emitted a squeak

‘Sitting Grandparents had one less thing to do

As laundry piled up over the next day or two...

New tires for the car - a thousand bucks

A rebuilt transmission for the Chevy truck

Two ceiling fans broke, but no one cried

The things were hideous and had to die.

A new kitchen light to illuminate the sink

(My Dad fixed that one in a wink)

'Tis our lot in life: keep the economy going

(and going and going and going and GOING)

I fear our checkbook is surely not growing

Dearly hoping our needs will soon start s l o w i n g

As I write letters to a friend on food stamps

I count my blessings and hold back my rants

Tons of clothes spill out of our drawers

There’s plenty of food - lots of lefto'ers

The hand-me-down items are an amazing lot

Do we deserve these gifts? We do not!

Thank heaven for SALES, which are easily found

Stores love us a lot, the new Shopping Hounds.

Handing over my cash, it leaves my tight grip

What's that you're giving me? Ahh, the blessed receipt slip...

Labor of Love

April, 2000

Children running in and out of the room
Anxious and impatient
Cheering for their mother
Wanting to see their sibling be born

Voices all around me
Different conversations pull me out of my darkness
The room is light and alive.

Someone pours warm water over me
Washing away tension and anxiety

My midwife’s broad back becomes my
resting place during labor
She rocks me gently through the contraction.

HANDS...everywhere, hands.
Hands that reassure, pressing where it hurts
Soothing hands that know my pain
Hands with oil stretching me open
reaching inside to release
the baby held captive in my womb.

I push through the burning.
My midwife is the encourager and says,
“Don’t be afraid.”
I’m not afraid now
Just eager to greet our baby
My baby.

I reach down between all the hands
and feel the soft head coming through.
I cry out, “Thank you, God!”
It’s a girl
She cries as she lays on my bare breast
She’s beautiful - and so alive!

My 42nd Birthday

It was to be a great day. Unfortunately, my husband who was out of town, couldn't share in the fun, so planning for my special day fell to me. A lunch date at a bakery with a new friend who shares my birthday and dinner with old friends at a Mexican restaurant were both on the agenda. Thankfully, (miraculously, really) both of those events came to pass.

In addition to the dental appointments for all five children who were on spring break, there were a few things that I hadn't scheduled. The biggest item was an unscheduled trip to the doctor for my five-year-old's broken arm. The arm was actually broken the previous day when he jumped off a swing in our backyard. Let me explain...

Moms know that when injuries occur, ice is usually the cure-all. Dutifully, when little Caleb came into the house with tears streaming down his face, I grabbed the oft-used cold compress from the freezer and sat him on the couch. His right arm, close to the wrist bothered him, but there would be no swelling all day. He participated in quiet activities the rest of the day and didn't complain at dinnertime when using his left hand to eat. He went to bed after I gave him ibuprofen, said prayers and kissed him goodnight. I told Nate, who shares the same bed, not to bump Caleb in the night.

In the morning he woke up saying that his arm "felt funny." This was a new description for an injury that I'd not heard previously from the other 4 children in our house. I made a mental note that after my birthday lunch date I might be taking him to the convenient urgent care near our house which has an x-ray machine. Sure enough, when I retrieved him from his play date, the friend's grandmother confirmed that Caleb still favored the arm and didn't use it. His mood was good. I noticed that there was a small bump above his wrist. Nearly 24 hrs. after the injury occurred, the arm was finally showing outward signs of trauma. When I asked him about it, he said it still "felt funny" and hurt.

At 4p.m., the doctor examined the x-ray and concluded that Caleb had a fracture and would need a cast. However, it was too late in the day to find a place available for that process, plus, the swelling needed to subside. He was given more ibuprofen and we went home with a wrapped wrist and a phone number of a pediatric orthopedic doctor. Since there was nothing more I could do, I went forward with my plans for dinner with friends. I needed a margarita and it was my birthday. My in-laws came to our house to have dinner with the kids and take Suzy to gymnastics. Life went on.

Lesson for moms: When you're a mom, even when it's supposed to be about you, it isn't.

Positive takeaway: God is good. On March 18th, I remembered to thank Him for margaritas, girlfriends and the best in-laws anyone could ask for.