Heroes

This week has been so eventful.
We went to Spokane to see Steve's daughter and her husband and twins. I am forever and always amazed at what that young woman deals with on a daily basis and the grace with which she manages her life.
While we were in Spokane, my dear sweet cousin Nytasha decides to up and go into labor. She gave birth to her darling little boy on Saturday night. And when a new baby is born, a new mother and father come into the world too.
We've been trying to be there as much as we can for them and the new baby, and it's not difficult. So last night, it was Nytasha's birthday, and we had a small impromptu get-together with cake and love. The baby slept through the whole party. It was good for Nytasha to get a grown-up moment. New babies are a lot of work, and sleep is at a premium.
This morning my memory ran back in time to when Steve's daughter was first on her own with the twins. We got the pleasure of having them in our home for ten days. It was such fun, and I knew it was a crazy lot of work, but until I had the live comparison of one baby to two in a short span of time, I didn't fully realize just how difficult and over the top it really was.
(Not to forget my brother and his wife with the triplets.)
Heroes. All good parents are heroes. But some of them are also warriors and deserve combat pay. Steve's daughter deals with a full-time job teaching high-need 3rd graders, a husband who is wonderful, but works far away every other month, and a debilitating physical issue, lupus. I normally wouldn't write about this, but she writes about her life in her own blog, so I think she's o.k. with me writing this.
She is my hero. I don't know how she does it and keeps her head on straight.
Today and every day, my hat is off to Her. She is truly a hero and a warrior for the good and health of her beautiful children. I am blessed to have her in my life.

OK, so NOW WHAT?

I have a whole lot of friends on their way to 50. I spent my whole last year on my way to 50. Then it happened. And it was fun. Now 3 months later, you gotta ask the same question you asked when you were 21, what am I looking forward to now? Death?

Well here's the scoop. I KNOW THE ANSWER.

It's simple and real, I'm looking forward to everything. Life. It's all worthy. My 24-year-old son said to me the other day, "Yeah, I'm in pain, but it's all good because it's all a part of it."

WOW, he's right, it's all good. Every day you take another breath is a good one. The first 50 were practice. Now you live. I keep telling my children, I am officially middle aged. I'm going to live to be 100+. I don't know if that's a threat or a promise, but I mean it.

I sound like some aging metaphor, but I don't care. I have never felt so powerful, together and full of joy and pain and hope. Life rocks. I'm on board to enjoy the journey and I welcome anyone who wants to come along.