I Would Like To Know Who The Wise Man/Woman Was That Said That Quote So That I Can Find Them And Punch Them In The Forehead

I've had a rough couple of weeks.

What's funny about that statement, though, is that they were also pretty wonderful too.

Contradicting, I know.

But I've been told many times, by different people, that I tend to be a "Walking Contradiction" so I'm basically just sticking to form.

The wonderful part was that my mother-in-law, whom I've spoken about on here before, left today after a 12 day visit.

And even though we didn't plan it to happen this way, her visit happened during the same time that my two oldest monkeys were out of school for Spring Break.

I don't know if it's because I'm a stay-at-home mother and I don't have to conform to a 9-5 job schedule, but dates, times, and even days of the week just slip past me without my knowing it.

I knew that Mary Jane was planning a visit sometime in April but I could never remember the dates and, for some reason, I guess I thought that April was six week long.

So, when she called last Monday to give me her flight schedule so that I could set up a car service to pick her up at the airport and bring her to our house, my reply to her was "Oh yes, I'll get all of that taken care of. I have plenty of time to take care of all of that."

To which she replied "Well, I suppose so if you consider from Monday to Thursday being plenty of time".

That's when the old brain motors started firing up (and I do believe smoke started coming out of my ears from my brain not having to function in a while) and I said "Wait a second...You mean this Thursday? As in: Today is Monday, then there's Tuesday, Wednesday, and then you're coming Thursday?"

The good news is, she's been going to MS support group meetings and so she knows that I'm not an idiot. She said "Yes, that's the Thursday I'm talking about."

She arrived on that Thursday, the last day of school for the monkeys before Spring break started, and stayed 12 days and left today, the day the monkeys went back to school.

How amazing was that for not planning?

While she was here, she did so many of the things that have been on my "To Do" list for months now and so much more. She cooked amazing food and even made extra so that we have ready meals in the freezer, she painted the girl monkey's future bedroom (I had been planning to do that for two months and could never get enough energy worked up to do it), she drove me to doctors appointments and shopping spots, which was wonderful as my eyesight has been a bit blurry lately, kept the monkeys in line, and most of all was just here.

Just her being here was such a tremendous comfort to me. I spend most of my days holed up in the house, most of the time not even getting out of my pj's until it's time to put on clean ones, and having conversations with a 3 year old boy monkey, who I'm pretty sure doesn't listen to me. I think he must get that from his father.

The bad part was that I felt like poo the entire time.

In fact, I've felt like poo for the past three weeks and nothing seems to be making it better.

My fatigue is worse than ever, I have severe pain in my neck, lower back, hips, and legs, and have a constant headache. To top that off, I'm falling down frequently. I'm kind of starting to feel like a bowling pin being constantly knocked down by an enormous, invisible bowling ball.

I've alway had a problem asking others for help.

I don't know if I'm afraid of being told "no" or looking weak or lazy, but asking for help has just never been something that I've ever been good at.

That's why having Mary Jane here is so great.

She doesn't wait for you to ask. She just does.

No questions asked, no accusations of laziness or weakness, and there are no strings attached.

Another great thing about having her here is that she makes me do things that I've been avoiding. I call it "procrastination" or "waiting for just the right moment". Both she and The Hubs call it "avoidence".

Potato, potaaaato I say.

And before I knew it, 12 days had flown by like the blink of an eye and I woke up this morning and sat with her while we waited for the car service to come and pick her up and take her back to the airport to go back to her land of sunshine and warmth.

Appropriately, it's rained here all day. Even Mother Nature is matching my mood.

And so, now I'm back to sitting around in my pj's all day, watching countless hours of cartoons, and having conversations on a 3 year old level to a WeeBoy Monkey who probably isn't listening.

But such is life.

As one wise person (I'm sure they had to be wise) once said

"All Good Things Must Come To An End."

That has never been more true for me than today.

Thanks for being here Mary Jane. You truly are a wonderful, amazing person who always seems to show up right when I need you most.

Distance Means Nothing

One person that I feel truly lucky to have in my life is my mother in law, Mary Jane. She's one of those women you wish you could be like, who tells you like it is even if that's not what you wanted to hear, and she gives you encouragement (although at times it may seem like she's just telling you what to do).
When I told her that I had MS she set out to learn everything she possible could about my disease. She's been going to an MS support group, she get's newsletters and emails, and she sent the kids a DVD about MS that eplained it to them in their terms. Plus it was a cartoon. You can't go wrong with having the kids watch a cartoon.
She's always managed to show up when we need her most and help in ways you can't imagine. And the funny thing is, she lives in Arizona. It's not exactly a quick car trip over to West Virginia from her house!
The last time she was here visiting, we went to Target. I wasn't doing too well and my legs were giving out a lot which lead to me falling a lot. When we got into the store to get our shopping carts, we had a conversation that went a little something like this:
MJ: Get one of those motorized scooters for yourself.
ME: Oh, no. I don't think I need one today.
MJ: Get one of those motorized scooters for yourself.
ME: No, I think I can just hold on to the buggie and shop. I'll be fine.
MJ: (a little more stern) Get a scooter!
ME: Ok fine!

And then I got in the scooter, end of discussion. The thing is, she and I both knew that me being in the scooter was what was best for me, but my pride wasn't allowing me to take that first step. So, she made me. I have a feeling that the conversation could have gone on forever like that if I hadn't given in. Who knows? We could still be in the front of Target, months later, arguing about how I was going to get around the store.
When I told her that I wanted to start journeling but I couldn't find any pretty Journals to write in, she sent me about 15 journals from her business. They were all beautiful, different shapes and sizes. I'm now set to journal for the rest of my life.
We tak by email several times a week and we try to talk on the phone atleast once a week but, of course, life sometimes gets in the way. But with all of that, her living across the country, only talking through email, etc, I've never felt closer to her than I do now.
I guess a "support system" doesn't have to be right there at your door to really be of support.
Thank you Mary Jane, from the bottom of my heart!
And I promise to always "eat my peas!"