Tales from the Steppes

2004-11-25

9:53 p.m.
Obie, did you think I was going to hang myself for littering?

This being Thanksgiving, I think it is appropriate to take a few minutes out of my usual whining to remember the good things in my life, as there are really so many. It is too easy to focus on the petty annoyances in life and lose sight of all the larger wonderful things that we take for granted too often.

I am thankful for my three healthy mongols. While they add chaos to my life in an exponential fashion, they also bring me great joy. I am proud of their achievements, in their own individual manners, and the people they are becoming.

I am thankful for my partner, who always seems to be there for me. It is a gift to have someone to share your life with.

I am thankful for my friends, for where would I be without them? They are my chosen family. I think most of us realize that now more than ever.

I am thankful for my house and garden. While they are not what I wish them to be yet, they have the potential to become places that I love.

I am thankful that I will be graduating from school soon. While I do not know what I will do afterwards, it will be a completion of a major milestone for me, as well as just a significant achievement.

In other news, the YM got his cast taken off yesterday. Apparently he did this as he does most things in life - with an added bit of drama. His teacher said he was worried all day and a bit out of sorts. He was fine in the car on the way to the doctor's office. He was fine in the waiting room. He was fine in the examination room. Until they turned on the saw to cut through the cast. And then he began to scream. And wouldn't stop. The doctor showed him that the saw doesn't cut skin. He wouldn't stop howling. So they did the first cut, with him screaming the whole time. They got halfway through the second cut, still screaming. Then the power died in the entire office building. He stopped screaming. Ten minutes later, the power comes back on, he starts screaming again. The doctor did not even bother to cut the little piece between the thumb and forefinger but just pulled it apart. The YM stops screaming and says "Is that all?" Sigh. The nurses came in to tease him about his carrying on. The doctor said he was done for the day.

The YM was very tired that night, as drama of this magnitude takes the starch out of ones britches, but otherwise unharmed. In fact, he did not even mention the drama when I asked about his bravery at this appointment. He just said yes, he was very brave. Now, I have to laugh pretty hard because I was not there for this. For the second time ever, the SU took a child to a doctor's office. He does not even know where the pediatrician's office is and only saw the man when we ran into him at the mall one day. Never has he endured the drama of any of the mongols getting a shot. I am quite sure he thought I was exaggerating when I described YM howling as I carried him up to the orthopods office to get his arm casted. But you know, sharing is good.