There is a parent in our school that I liked the first time I met her. You know that kind of person, the one in the room who smiles at you, is friendly immediately and makes you feel like she is glad to be there and happy to be talking to you. Ever since the first time I met her, she has always been the same great person. Her husband is like that too, just as nice, just as fun and just as real. Not fake, not ever.
Her daughter was in my son's class at the beginning of the year. Later on in the year, her son started about the same time my daughter started school. I found out that he was delayed starting because he had Downs Syndrome. He was the twin of the daughter in my son's class, but on a slower path due to his disabilities.
But let me tell you about cute. This little guy is cute as can be and I think, no, I know my daughter has a crush on him. Apparently all the ladies do in the class because he's such a nice little guy. But back to the mom. She's got three children, with a third that's older, so I know she's busy. Dealing with the Downs Syndrome child must make her day even busier.
What I found out later, through casual conversation at a birthday party was that the daughter was having febrile seizures in the middle of the night. Her mom just happened to wake up and find her the first time it happened. What would have happened if she hadn't woken up just in time to check on her silently seizing daughter in another room? She could have died. Was that the only time the seizures had happened? No. And yet my friend was talking about it in a positive light, about how they had it diagnosed and how her daughter should grow out of it.
I can hope I'd be so positive, but I might equally be upset and angry. I don't know how well I would handle something that frightening and potentially life-threatening. Then, just the other day, I talked to another friend who mentioned that with the daughter's seizures and the son's issues with Downs Syndrome, it seemed like they were in the hospital almost every week for one thing or another.
I didn't even know her son had medical issues. She had never mentioned them, certainly not to the extent that it was that serious. I asked my other friend how the mom was dealing with it and my friend said one time our friend told her she felt happiness was a choice. She believed she could wake up and be happy, or she could decide to be angry or sad. So, she decided to be happy.
Could it be that simple? It seems to be working for my friend. She seems nothing other than happy and she's got a lot that she could use as valid reasons to be unhappy. Not only did I think she was great when I first met her. I think she's an even more remarkable lady now that I know more about her situation and how she thrives instead of just survives and does so with a smile.
The Big Boy Update: "I have a great big stomach." That's what he told me the other day
when I was sure he must be full and yet he still wanted more food.
Apparently he does have a great big stomach.
The Tiny Girl Chronicles: Sharing with her brother. She likes to share. She will take a food item that she might be enjoying but is getting full eating and she'll get up from her seat, walk the two steps to her brother's seat and put one of those items (grape, blueberry, cereal nugget, etc.) onto his plate. Since my son is greedy, this suits him just fine.
Fitness Update: Fitness room today with both my neighbor and my mother-in-law. And guess what? Three ladies chatting makes the workout go three times as quickly. Imagine that!
Someone Once Said: Piety does not imply horse sense.
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