It's been a rough few days...my youngest has been sick as well as my oldest. Nothing serious but enough to make a call to the doc. So let me explain why it's so rough on this momma. I feel like I'm a first time parent with my 4th child! I know that makes no sense so let me explain...my dad always helped me with the boys from the very beginning. So at times when I'd be on the verge of freaking out, dad would always be there to bring me comfort and keep me grounded. This week has pushed me and tested me but I'm stronger for it...but I still miss my dad! Hubby did awesome this week, not only dealing with the sick kiddos but dealing with this momma (that may have been just a little on the emotional side!). So thankful for him!
This is just one of the many stories my dad used to tell about my parenting...he'd belly laugh every time he told it! My oldest was about 2 and he fell off the dining room chair and hit his head on the baseboard. I immediately picked him up to cuddle him and realized that blood is gushing from his head. You must know that my interpretation is overdramatic as my dad would say. Now being a first time momma, I didn't know that heads bleed easily! So I begin to panic and I put a dishtowel on his forehead and picked up my phone to call my dad. I often wonder if the convenience of cell phones has made us less apt to take care of things on our own. By the time I talk to my dad on the phone, I'm crying! Yes, I know it's silly but that's where I was at that time. I've come a long way! So I'm talking to dad on the phone and by this time Garrin has stopped crying but I insist that he needs to go to the ER. My dad said,"Whoa, kid! No ER! He's fine. Let's clean it and put some super glue on it." I can't begin to explain my response...seriously you want to put super glue on my baby!?! Oh I don't think so! Now let me stop at this point to say that I keep lots of super glue on hand with 4 boys! It's way better than a band aid. This is where my dad would laugh that deep belly laugh as only he could do. So needless to say, we didn't go to the ER. But we did go to the dr. office and the dr. trying to keep me happy said he could put a few stitches in. Dad tried to tell me no but I wouldn't listen. My baby was going to get his little head sewed up. Now by this time I had just put a band aid on it and he was back to being a 2 year old boy. I can still remember the pit in my stomach and all my nerves on edge. So this is where it gets really good...we go back to get the stitches and I'm doing pretty good until it comes time to hold him down. Well hello, I'm about to loose it all together. I got that hot cold feeling and felt like I was going to pass out. I went to the bathroom and cried and cried while I left my dad to hold him down while the doc put in about 3 stitches. Yes that's right 3! So after I regain my composure and we leave the dr. office my dad gave me a piece of his mind. I got a good talking to if you know what I mean. My dad had a way of getting through to me and we could hash things out and all would be well in the end. So I listened to him and cried a little more, then I dried it up and realized he was right.
Now that's not the best part of this story...
Sometime during the night my sweet little boy pulled out his stitches! Yes that's right he pulled them out without crying or fussing. So guess what? I put super glue on that sweet little boy and all was well! And then it all became clear, all the things my dad was teaching me. It's funny because it's all becoming clear now too! I guess life is funny that way. I can still hear my dad telling me that during times of crisis, no matter how big or small or how long it lasts, that you've got to keep it together and be able to make good decisions and absolutely DO NOT LET FEAR RULE YOU! If you let fear in, it will take hold and rule you. So no matter how hard the situation is you must stay strong and after it's all over with you can lose it then! You can cry, scream, punch on the bag, have a drink or two, whatever but you do it after the fact and never during! Good thing I learned those lessons with little things because I had the strength to handle the end with my dad without fear. But here I am, a year and a half later and I still find myself having times of crying, screaming, punching the bag, and having a drink (not 2 because I'm a lightweight!) and I wonder if I'll find a new normal. Oh well who wants to be normal anyway...how boring! It's funny how I'm still learning from dad even though he's not here physically. So you know I'll KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON!
Now that's not the best part of this story...
Sometime during the night my sweet little boy pulled out his stitches! Yes that's right he pulled them out without crying or fussing. So guess what? I put super glue on that sweet little boy and all was well! And then it all became clear, all the things my dad was teaching me. It's funny because it's all becoming clear now too! I guess life is funny that way. I can still hear my dad telling me that during times of crisis, no matter how big or small or how long it lasts, that you've got to keep it together and be able to make good decisions and absolutely DO NOT LET FEAR RULE YOU! If you let fear in, it will take hold and rule you. So no matter how hard the situation is you must stay strong and after it's all over with you can lose it then! You can cry, scream, punch on the bag, have a drink or two, whatever but you do it after the fact and never during! Good thing I learned those lessons with little things because I had the strength to handle the end with my dad without fear. But here I am, a year and a half later and I still find myself having times of crying, screaming, punching the bag, and having a drink (not 2 because I'm a lightweight!) and I wonder if I'll find a new normal. Oh well who wants to be normal anyway...how boring! It's funny how I'm still learning from dad even though he's not here physically. So you know I'll KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON!
