Wow. I really intended to write about happy things here. My little family, the meals I cook, how life works around here, raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens- you know the song. However, the last two days have reminded me that sometimes life is just a big pile of stinker…

I got dealt a couple of pretty devastating blows today- one rocking me in my professional life, and the other in my personal. Each, incident threatened to undermine some of my basic assumptions about life. The details are what they are in each situation, but suffice it to say that tears have been shed from 8:15 this morning when I got the first bit, to 4:30 this afternoon as I was getting ready to wrap up my day.

So, now I am faced with a decision. How do I cope, when I am not the main focus of either of these events? How do I support without getting sucked into a situation in which there is no right or wrong? Well, there clearly is a right and a wrong, but I don’t think that anyone is willing to compromise enough to get there.

This is pretty cryptic, no? I am definitely tired and overwhelmed by the sadness of the day. But, I have more people in my life that I am thankful for than I can count, a sweet and sexy man to share my every thought with (and my bed! whee!), a precious baby boy that clamors out of his high chair just to catch a glimpse of me when I get home, and a few raggedy animals to pat on the head as I push them out of my way.

And, I am very thankful for a mom that has led me through life’s many situations with grace, compassion, stubbornness, and resilience. Tomorrow is her birthday, and I am thankful for a day that I get to spend in celebration of her life and all that she means to me. When I got the news this afternoon, she was the first to dissect it with me- even though it is specifically news with which she likely cared nothing for- except that it affects her children and grandchildren. Through 28 years of being your daughter, there has never been a moment in which I was not proud to be your daughter. Happy Birthday, Mom. I love you!

Boo!