Perspective

What a day.  Brecken has been struggling through a fever and feeling yucky... Not eating or drinking and very irritable.  This of course happens on a day where I am feeling completely stressed about work, totally behind with my "to do" lists, and in need of a good, solid, quality work day.

I got zero work done.  I accomplished nothing in terms of classroom prep and didn't cross a single thing off my list.  Yet, at the end of the day, I could kiss my baby goodnight and tuck him in.  Unfortunately, there are parents that we know that are not able to do those simple things tonight.  Close family friends from Eric's hometown, Matt & Michelle Williams, lost their precious 3 month old daughter Ellie last Friday due to complications from SIDS.  Tomorrow they will bury their baby and say goodbye one last time.  A friend of mine from college is sitting by his 22 month old's bedside in the Iowa City Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, hoping and praying that little Benjamin will awaken from his coma following an accidental choking with a cord wrapped around his neck.  

My heart hurts for both of these familes... Tonight, tomorrow and for a long time to come.  I can't imagine what they are going through and don't want to even think about how I would react in either of these situations.  I know that I love Brecken with all my heart and can't imagine him anywhere other than right here beside me for decades to come.  These are the same thoughts that all parents have; The same thoughts that the Williams family and the Ricketts family have.  I pray that everyone close to Benjamin and Ellie find the strength to carry on each day, and that they can all take comfort in knowing that however alone they feel in this, they are not.  

As for me, instead of going to bed stressing about what I did not get done today, I will appreciate every small blessing I have.  I will walk into Brecken's room one last time and look over his crib rails at him; I will touch his back and whisper my love for him; I will look forward to an irritable, teething toddler who is sick with a double ear infection tomorrow.  I will not be upset that I had to find a sub to cover my class and think about what I am missing in my clasroom, but I will be thankful for the fact that I get to give my baby kisses tomorrow... All day.  

Perhaps we need the awful tragedies in life to remind us to be thankful for what we have, to count our blessings, and to restructure our priorities to that which they should be.  I, for one, will call my mom to tell her I love her and will give my bug-a-boo an extra hug.  I will be thankful for the simple things that I am able to do that have been stolen from others.