Ordinary day?

Is there such a thing as an ordinary day? I'm starting to think the answer is no.

First, let me start off by telling you that tonight we bought Anna a twin bed. I'm hyperventilating as I type this. okay, no I'm not. Her bed will arrive between 9am-12pm tomorrow. Her new quilt and sham have been washed along with the bed skirt and the sheets. We also purchased the waterproof mattress pad and the side rails. But are we ready? I felt like just yesterday, I was waddling around Babies r Us trying to find the perfect bedroom set that included a crib. Perfect meant not spending too much money, but trying to fulfill my fantasy of having the perfect baby girl's bedroom. We did not buy a bed that converted into a twin bed, because we thought we would just have our subsequent children use the crib. (Little did we know, less than one year later we'd be buying another crib.) Anyway, tonight is the last night she'll be in her crib. I am saddened and scared. Sad because she really is growing up so fast. Scared because she is such a great sleeper. Is this bed going to ruin it?? I hope not.

Today I was given the gift of sleep. Lately, once Brian wakes up and showers, I have had trouble falling back to sleep. So, from 6:45am until 8:30am, when the kids wake up, I would lie in bed counting sheep or praying to the sleep God to please let me fall back to sleep. PLEASE! (I know 6:45am sounds like an okay time to wake up, but friends, please remember I'm up past midnight every damn night.) Well, today I slept. I woke up only briefly as Brian left late at 7:37am, I continued to sleep until 8:40am. It was wonderful! I woke up, brushed my teeth, took my pills, made my coffee and made my bed. While I was brushing my teeth, my phone rang, a number that looked familiar, but one that I did not recognize. I opted not to answer it, because I was brushing my teeth. Something I will regret. I checked my messages and heard a message from my friend Kacy, telling me that her nephew, Nick, had passed away this morning. I instantly called her back. She had little information, as she had really just found out herself. The only thing she knew, and the only thing I knew was that her world was emptier today.

In August of 2004, my friend Lynette and I started a Mommy's Group. It stemmed from the fact that after I had a baby, I felt like everytime I met another mommy, I had made another connection with someone. The first time I can recall feeling this was when Anna was 9 weeks old. We had to take her to the doctor on a Saturday because she had an eye infection. We were in the waiting room with another couple who had a 3 day old baby boy. I felt like an "old soul" who had been bearing children for years compared to this young mum. We started talking and this poor, emotional, sleep deprived new mom was crying to me in the waiting room. I kept saying "it will get better, I promise!!" But, I knew that meant little to her at that point. Most of her tears came from the fact that all she was doing was nursing and they had just given the baby formula and she was feeling tremondous guilt. (oh, so common!) Anyway, I felt so connected with this girl. I didn't want to leave her side. But, I did. We parted and we never met again. This happened over and over. Mainly in waiting rooms. I always talked to other moms and wanted to know about their experiences, I was very interested. So, with that I decided to try to create a Mommy's Group. With Lynette, we came up with some friends of hers and some friends of mine and it began in August.

In January of 2005, I was sharing the store of Allie Scott and my involvement with Friends of Allie with my Mommy's Group, which meets monthly. At that point, one of the mommies, Kacy, shared with us that her nephew was diagnosed with Pontine Glioma, in June of 2004. He was 10 at the point of diagnosis, he was told he would not see his 11th Birthday. We were so fortunate that Kacy had brought along a picture of Nick to share with us. This was coincidental, as Kacy had not planned on sharing Nick with us that night. Over the course of the year, I've said many prayers for Kacy, Nick and Nick's family. Kacy is one of those people that you want to help because she is so kind. She's so friendly, giving and most certainly not greedy. She's a real good person.

Nick walked with my Friends of Allie team this past September. We walked in honor of him. Truly what an honor it was. I was so proud to have him and his mother walk with us. I continued to follow Nick and his health over the past year through their care page and everything seemed to be going well. Nick saw his 11th birthday and I was certain he was going to see his 12th. Until that phone call this morning. I am still so stunned, as I know his family is. Pontine Glioma is an inoperable brain tumor, which means their is no cure. So, yes, we knew this day would come, but nobody knew it would be today. I'm so sorry that it was today. His death, although everyone knew it would happen, was just as tragic, sudden and heart wretching as a car accident. Except this boy endured so much. Chemo, steroids, dialysis and so much more than we'll ever know.

Please pray with me. Pray for strength and peace for his amazing family. Pray that Nick is consoling Kacy and his mother, his brothers and sisters, his father and all who knew him.
Pray for a cure.

Nick asked for our banner from our walk, his Mom said he wanted to put it on his bedroom wall. I am humbled by him.

Although there my be no ordinary days, I will say that every day is extraordinary in it's own way. We just have to open our eyes to see just how extraordinary each day really is.

I leave you with a picture of Nick, holding our banner.