Let's Tango

Sometimes this dance called life is certainly easier on some days than it is on others. I wish there was a traffic light in our bathroom that would give me a clue as to what the day would bring. Red Light - watch out, girl, it's going to be a tough one. Yellow light - stay on your toes, be cautious. Or, green light - easy sailing. I could make a million selling the fortune traffic lights if they were accurate.

There have been some difficult tragedies in our circle of acquaintances in the past few weeks, and some difficult life "stuff" for some friends. An acquaintance lost their spouse, another their child. There have been marriage problems and health problems. The lady that I wrote about meeting through my doctor's office found out that her baby has heart problems. None of these are easy. Each situation is unique and intensely personal. There were no red light warnings for any of these people that today would be the day of a serious situation. I wrote earlier about NOW being the time to know what you believe, and I am even more convinced of that watching these people wade through the deep waters of their own personal situations. It has been amazing and sometimes tragic to see how each has handled what is sent their way.

I have been calling our early days with Andrew our honeymoon time. He is just a yummy little baby that needs to be fed and loved. But I know the honeymoon will end, and that is sad for me. I got a flyer in the mail from the hospital that said, "What your baby should be doing at 2 months!" It joyfully listed and proclaimed a list of milestones that our new baby should be able to accomplish. Andrew doesn't really do any of them, and I threw the card out because it seemed to mock me from my desk. We are moving at our own pace around here, and I cannot let pediatric standards get me down. It is hard, though. We are trying to find the balance between wanting to help him and letting him be himself - between stimulating him and over-pushing him. I remind myself that we do the same with our others, and that with Andrew it is just on a different level. Brantley is small - I cannot force him to grow, etc. I know Andrew is only 8 weeks old, and I am learning not to compare. This is a tough lesson that will definitely take some time.

So as we dance along this crazy life, we seem to take two steps forward and one step back. Two steps forward, one step back. Today, as you can tell, was one step back- but we dance on.