Question that Boggles the Mind

Dear Standard:


I pondered this one over and over and couldn't figure it out:

If both of your middle fingers got amputated, how in God's name would you live?

The Rest of My Life

Dear Standard:

For my husband:

And I'm not a man to throw words to the wind. When I said I loved you, that's what I meant., and I'm going to show you if it takes me the rest of my life... the rest of my life.... the rest of my life. - Blessid Union of Souls

Wild Horses

Dear Standard:

Childhood living is easy to do. The things you wanted I bought them for you. Graceless lady, you know how I am. You know I can't let you slide through my hands.

As much as I remember how easy it is to be angry, I watch my girls (Akaiylyn and Amber) fighting and recognize that God created a peace that can only be struck by a melody.,,,, or a chord... or just a phrase and you're whole again. Right now I'm sitting here in front of the computer watching a four year old and a twelve year old argue and it's not phasing me one bit. I've got my iPod on the speakers. I'm thinking positive thoughts... and I'm content with where I am, regardless of where the girls are.

I watched you suffer a dull aching pain now you've decided to show me the same but no sweet, vain exits or offstage lines could make me feel bitter or treat you unkind.

 I know that sounds stupid, right? I mean, how can you be content when your kids are screaming at each other? I remember going to lamaze and being told that you had to take a "me" break and sometimes just walk away. So today, I took a "me" two hours. I blocked the kids out of my head, went and picked up what I needed to get at Lowe's for paint swatches, picked out my new light fixtures (Which are gorgeous, by the way)  set up my budget plan in order to pay for those suckers (which is NOT gorgeous, by the way) came in the house and started planning for my upcoming school semester.

Wild horses couldn't drag me away; Wild, wild horses, couldn't drag me away

The recent issues with my feet have delayed my matriculation by a semester - I was really depressed about that but, screw it - my education will be finished in God's time and I'll have my degree in God's time. I have a job interview on Thursday - hopefully it will go well. But while I was sitting here letting the girls scream at each other, I saw a lesson that I should have learned a long time ago. Stupid people are going to act stupid regardless of how much you yell and shout and perform (not that my girls are stupid, but feel free to substitute words like STUBBORN, UNBENDING, ARROGANT, any word that describes an emotion that describes your present situation. In this case, the words would be UNBENDING and STUBBORN) But as I was saying, those people are going to be that way regardless of what you do. And the best thing to do is to LET THEM. Eventually they'll realize you're not paying attention and as long as the walls of your house haven't tumbled down, you can say, "Okay, so what was your issue?" One of my best friends told me a long time ago that there is an easy way to parent without having to lay one hand on your child. I'm learning it.  

I know I dreamed you a sin and a lie.I have my freedom, but I don't have much time. Faith has been broken, tears must be cried. Let's do some living after love dies.

But in all of this, I can honestly say that as I am ambivalent to them at the moment, I am keeping a watchful eye over the chorus of Blessid Union of Souls that's blasting over the speakers. Even though I refuse to say is now that they are fighting amongst themselves and looking for me to rescue them with a "STOP IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!", I love them both very much and am proud of their independence and confidence. 

Wild horses couldn't drag me away; Wild, wild horses, we'll ride them some day

For real......

One digit shorter

Dear Standard:


So, I'm home everybody. Loaded on oxycododone and ready to relax. I've got to go get the car later on. They went ahead and did the other Achilles surgery while I was there and I didn't realize it until I stood up. I was conscious through the whole procedure - the amputation and the Achilles lengthening. They numbed my ankle and then gave me more pain medicine to do the Achilles. That hurl like all hell. But it's all over. It's all done.

I thank God for giving me the strength to get through this. Standard, I don't know what I would have done without your support. I mean, I don't know what consists of resists of reality and fantasy, but I know that your ability to calm me down and make it so that I didn't scream the top of my head off was a huge comfort. After the surgery, I was delirious, but I thought about Richard a lot. I didn't hear from him that afternoon. I wish I could have heard him voice. I miss him so much. I don't have that much of a choice to layoff of the pain meds until Paul takes me to get my car (God bless good neighbors) and Akaiylyn is passed out on the couch. But I thought you deserved an update: I have two Achilles lengthening, an amputatated second toe and I'm in good spirits! Comment if you can…….

The Best of Times

Dear Standard:

I sit here with keyboard in han reflecting on my life, wondering if that pitchfork is still stuck somewhere between my neck and the base of my head. My sister in law took my babygirl to the park, so I've got a couple of minutes to myself, but that's not really a comfort. I'm still lonely. I'm still concentrating on how bad my right leg hurts and how on Friday I'll go from five toes to four on my left. I'm 30 facing an amputation and I'm depressed about it. Standard, tell me what to do. Standard, tell me how to feel. I've tried the cynical approach, going through the stages of denial and finally just joking it off like nothing is wrong. It's not working. I've been in a cast since March, only to end up in the place that I've been trying to avoid - it's unnerving. I had a meeting with my pastor this weekend and that made me feel a lot more grounded. I know that this isn't the end of the world, but it sure feels like something is falling. I miss my husband. His asswipe of a commander won't let him come home for my surgery. I've cried a lot. Standard, tell me what to do. Explain to me why even though things have seemed to work out in order for me to have surgery, I still feel lost, confused and depressed. I pray more than I speak, but it still doesn't help. I'm just wondering,....

Standard, are you there?