50 years

Tomorrow is my parent's 50th wedding anniversary. Thornton and I will be driving up to Chicago for a dinner in their honor tomorrow night, spending the night and attending church with them Sunday morning. I wish I could say that I'm looking forward to going. I love my parents...really I do...but they are so difficult. Most couples that celebrate the amazing milestone of being married for 50 years share a love story that's worth retelling. My parents, well, not so much. I mean, I can't even begin to recount the number of times my dad threatened divorce to my mom while I was growing up. They used to fight all the time. It got to the point growing up where I almost wished they'd get a divorce rather than fight all the time. My stomach used to be in knots constantly when they'd start to fight. Ugh...I just hated it.

Now, I guess they are happy. It's hard to tell, because they're not the kind of people to say "I Love You" ever. But, they are together all the time, so they must at least enjoy each other's company. And, I'm glad for that.

I'm worried that they are going to expect me to give a speech of some sort tomorrow night. I mean, what do I say? I always have trouble finding a Mother's Day card or Father's Day card that isn't all mushy with phrases like "You've meant the world to me" or "I'm the person I am today because of you", because quite frankly, they ring a little untrue.

But, again, 50 years...that's a long time. And, I know that they are looking forward to the party very much. I hope it's a wonderful evening for everyone.

Rachel and Alison left today to drive to Virginia w/ my in-laws. Rachel is due at the Virginia School of the Arts on Sunday to begin her 3 week ballet intensive on Monday. She's so excited!! She's going to have a great time and will love spending so much time with other girls that share her passion. She'll be living in a dorm, which will be a fun experience, too. I'll miss her like crazy, but at least she'll have a phone, so I can talk to her daily. We'll meet up w/ my in-law's and Alison on Thursday in Indianapolis for another of Patrick's baseball tournaments.

Patrick is in St. Louis this weekend for a tourney. It's only 90 miles away, but because of other commitments, and having to head up north tomorrow, we're not able to go. I know he likes hanging out w/ his team mates at the hotel and being "on his own", but it just makes me realize all the more that we only have him at home for 3 more years.

Human piggy bank?

Last night we were all hanging out at church and Alison came to me and said that she had swallowed a quarter and she felt it stuck just above her stomach. I quickly took her to a friend of ours who is a nurse and was also at church and she said we better take Ali to the hospital because quarters are big and it might be trouble. Thornton and I just assumed that it would pass, but thought we better heed the instructions we were given, especially since Alison was having pain.

On the way to the hospital, she started having lots of pain and really freaking out. It was all I could do to keep driving while trying to calm her breathing down. We got to the ER and it was packed. Seriously, we were like the 7-8th person in line for ONE registrar. And, not a person in front of us appeared to have any visible problem or was in distress in any way. Alison was really in pain by now, but we waited. I just didn't know if I should create a scene or not and no body seemed to think she ought to have their spot in line. Once we finally saw the registrar, we got sent back to a room immediately.

Everyone was so nice to us, but, as we all know, nothing moves quickly in a hospital. We finally got her x-rayed and eventually found out that the coin was indeed stuck in her esophagus and wouldn't pass on it's own. Thornton arrived just as they were putting the IV in. I'm so glad he did, because Alison is a Daddy's girl through and through and she needed her daddy there. And, I needed him there, because I was trying not to let her see that I was crying too.

A Pediatric GI doctor was paged and we were told that she would need surgery to remove the coin under general anethesia. They put a scope down her throat and remove the coin w/ a tiny pair of tweezer like things. Thankfully they gave Alison some medicine to help relax her before they took her back for surgery. And, did it ever work!! She was loopy! She thought it was hysterical that everyone had four eyes, two noses and two mouths.

The surgery itself took less than 10 minutes. She woke up in recovery very slowly, but was fine to be taken home. We got home around 1:30 a.m. She's still sleeping this morning.

Oh, and in case you care....it was an Iowa Quarter. :-)

1 heart - 3 locations

My heart is split right now between three locations. Alison has been at camp since Sunday and will be there until Friday. I miss her like crazy, but from the letters we've received, she's having a blast. She's such a strong little thing....I never could've gone away for 2 weeks at a camp 5 1/2 hours away when I didn't know a soul. And she'll only turn 9 in a couple of weeks!

Patrick and Thornton are in Indianapolis at a baseball tournament w/ Patrick's team. They got in one game yesterday and won. Patrick pitched a 2 hitter! I'm so proud of him...especially because they are playing big-time teams in this tournament that have National ball playing experience. They got rained out last night and it's raining there now. So, who knows when I'll get them home.

Rachel is here at home w/ me, but she's had a friend over since 9 a.m. yesterday morning. They are still sleeping, of course! So, I was kind of lonely yesterday. I am so proud of my kids to be such strong, independent kids, because that's how we want them to be. But, as a mom, who has spent 15 1/2 years raising kids so far, it's hard to not be needed quite so much as time goes by.

Thank goodness for the puppy!