Everything

Everything came to a halt on Saturday afternoon.  The world stopped, as least my world did.  The small little space that my family and I hold on this whole big place.  JoJo fell out of the shopping cart at Sam’s and hit the concrete floor.  I was around the corner, Erik was next to the cart but he wasn’t fast enough to catch him.  I heard the most sickening thud in my life.  I knew instantly he wasn’t right.  I could just tell by his color and the the limpness in the way he grabbed me.  When he falls and cries, he grabs me hard.  There was no fierceness to his grasp.  Erik checked him immediately, felt his head for soft spots, turned his head towards the light to see if his pupils were responsive.  And they were.  The first words out of my mouth were, he’s not right.  He just kept on crying and crying.  When we got to the car, he told me he was going to take a little nap.  I told him no, and I told Erik to go to the Emergency Room.  On the way, he told me that his tummy hurt...meaning he was going to be sick.  Long story short, he had a skull fracture and a small brain bleed.  Who would think something like that could happen?  And then almost sheer panic sets in when they tell you they will be airlifting him by helicopter to the pediatric ICU.  They didn’t get a helicopter after all, he went by ambulance.  We spent our weekend in Pediatric ICU.  

And so we missed the eclipse, something I was looking forward too, and we will have to pay a lot of money, I’m sure.  But it means NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING.  I have EVERYTHING.  My boy is okay.  He is home.  I am watching him like a hawk.  I get to hear his sweet little voice.  He started calling me Mommy again, I’m not sure why.  And I will worry over him.  Erik will worry over him.  But we were so incredibly lucky.  And we are lucky to have people in our lives who helped us.  My mom and Josh took the boys.  Auntie Val stayed with us at the ICU and brought us food, and shower items.  My dad brought clothes that my mom packed for us.  Our friends and family, worried and prayed.  My work was wonderful, and my friend Pam too.  I haven’t had to worry about school.

I have EVERYTHING.  I have my family, a little damaged, but whole.  I have family and friends that step up when I need them.  We have everything, and we are blessed, and lucky, and thankful.  So very, very thankful.