It's hard to stay mired in a funk when this girl is around. She has such a sunny spirit, she just reaches inside your state of overwhelmed and pulls you up for air, and she doesn't even know she's doing it. How did we get so lucky that she chose us? Some children are just easy to raise, and she is like that. A room gets happy when she walks into it. I think sometimes she looked down from baby heaven (a concept she used to tell me about when she was four years old) and said, "That one there, she's going to struggle a bit, I think I need to go and help her out." God, I am glad she chose me to be her mama.
We went back-to-school shopping yesterday, and we had so much fun, her trying on clothes, playing with reinventing her style, us chatting and laughing, just that. She bought dresses and playacted, "I'm a girl, mama! I have dresses!" She has, up to now, been strictly a jeans and sweatshirt and boots sort of girl unless forced to dress up for school events. But maybe because she couldn't wear jeans to her restaurant hostessing job this summer, she's branching out, experimenting. She did buy an army shirt that she threw on over those very nice dresses and belted at the waist. It was a look. What can I say? She is adorable in all of it.
So we decided to go with Mary as Aunt Winnie's new home attendant. The other home attendant, the one who does weekdays, was thrilled with my aunt's condition and mood when she came in this morning, and she and Mary seem to be working together very well already. My aunt seems to like her, as evidenced by the fact that she actually ate very well from her yesterday, and laughed a little when Mary sang. Mary does talk a lot, and sings—off-key but with gusto—to my aunt, too, and maybe that is a good thing given the long stretches of silence that would live in that house otherwise. Maybe we got lucky finding a new person so quickly. Cross your fingers. Hope we thrive. As Yolie said, "She may just be another kind of angel." And Steve said, "What seems peculiar may in fact be a gift."
Do you all have any idea how much I appreciate each and every one of your comments? How much they—and you—scaffold me? Today I am functional, aware of my vast blessings and hopefully on the way to just fine.
What a total sweetie pie, she sounds an absolute delight to be around and lights up the room. You are so lucky to have her! I absolutely love that expression, that the comments "scaffold" you that are so clever. BTW I really appreciated your comment on my blog today, you really made me appreciate anew other peoples' paths in the world and that some are not as privileged as others. Thanks so much for pointing that out, it really needed to be said.
ReplyDeleteI love the ease and equanimity about the whole experience that you've allowed your son! in my experience, when they choose to buy the college sweatshirt, they've chosen! thanks for your kind comments here. xo
DeleteYour daughter and my Jessie- well, they could be twin spirits. Not unlike their mamas?
ReplyDeleteI am so glad it's a better day. Light will find its way in, won't it? Especially when prepared the way by joyful love.
Ms. Moon, you know, when you wrote about Jessie telling you to go on a date, I did think that it was just the sort of instruction our girl would have given us, too. She made you promise, too, didn't she? I can hear how the whole convo went down in my head. We are lucky, aren't we?
DeleteGlad you and your daughter were able to snatch some holy time together. Good luck with Ms. Mary. She might be just what the doctor ordered.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nancy! And you're right. It WAS holy. And I hope the same about Ms. Mary. xo
DeleteI love that your girl knew her way at 4 and could pick people out. I also love how you are grateful that she picked you to be her mama. It is so wonderful to hear how much you appreciate her gifts and how much love you have for her. She does sound like an extraordinary human being. I wish I had some of her spirit around me to lift me up sometimes. This Mary sounds kinda funny and I so hope she works out well. If your aunt eats and smiles, that's a good sign. I'm glad today is a better day for you. Sweet Jo
ReplyDeleteSweet Jo, she did indeed know her way around at age 4! We have each other here. We lift each other up here, too. Hugs, friend.
DeleteThe way you described your girl reminds me so much of my oldest boy -- that part about "reaching inside your overwhelmed" and not even aware of doing it. Yes, we are indeed blessed.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that things are working out for your aunt and agree wholeheartedly that this community we've fostered is life-sustaining.
I love the whole concept of baby heaven. Your daughter is a treasure and so are you my dear :)
ReplyDeleteOh, good. I am so glad Mary seems to be working out!
ReplyDeleteI think we all scaffold each other -- that's the beauty of our little blog community! :)