You Speaka My Language

One of my sisters visited me this weekend with her family, and they flew out today while I was at work. I dreaded walking in my apartment door because I knew it would be quiet––no Summer to talk to, no Clay playing the ukulele, no Macy to snuggle with, and no Lily to pretend she doesn't need to snuggle.

Imagine my delight, then, when I walked into this:


Words of affirmation and a caricature. (Although they're stick figures, they're actually quite representative of us.)




My tree aglow and another funny note.




Money! (I know the placement of this note was difficult for Summer, as she is the runt of the family, but she was trying to put it at eye-level for me. It was perfect!)




Candy, all lined up in a row.




I could never love anyone as I love my sisters.


Thing I'm thankful for: People who get me.

I need a distraction.

As I was driving to the emergency room on Friday afternoon, I called my sister and told her what was up. She said, "Oh my goodness . . . Well, at some point, you have to laugh, right?"

And I guess that's true. I have to either laugh or cry, and I feel like maybe I got most of my tears out this year? Or maybe I got them all out last year. At any rate, I haven't cried all day. But I haven't laughed, either.

Here's a quick update: The ER doctor thought the lower abdominal pain was appendicitis. Turns out, it was an ovarian cyst that burst. But the CT scan showed some other abnormalities, too, so I have to talk to a specialist before I can understand them or understand what needs to happen to address them.

Until all this is cleared up, I have a request: Let me hold your babies and play with your children. Let me take them to the store to buy crafts and paint supplies. Let me color with them or watch a Christmas movie or two. Send me funny pictures of them or silly videos. Mail their unintelligible scribbles to me.

Kids––I am certain––are the best part of life. They are the most interesting humans on the planet, and they––more than anyone else––make me happy. It's difficult for me to be downcast and sad when children are around. I wish I had some of my own, but I don't, so I'm depending on you all to to distract me with the pitter patter of your little ones.


Thing I'm thankful for: Hangout videos in the hospital