Why I'm the Lucky One to be up at 2AM

I was thinking about this in the middle of the night, one night ago, as Austin needed to be fed. Again. (The kid is one hungry machine.)

My new blog "hobby"with all the mom blog reading and the umpteen degrees of separation has taken me on a whole new avenue in '09. Before, I was reading about things trivial (relatively speaking- the stuff which parenting mags. are comprised and funny kid antics/pictures). Since mid-January, I've been completely wrapped up in another avenue. A very sad avenue, but one of those life lessons I knew I was meant to read. And one that shows the power & outreach of this whole "mom blog" phenom.

Somehow, I do not recall specifics of the path I took to get there, I met a baby girl in Mississippi, Magdalena and her family. I came across her story the day after Trisomy 18 (chromosomal disorder) claimed her, at about 5mos old. I've gotten to know her story through her parents' well written and expressive blog which includes songs, small videos, tons of pictures and stories. Everyone knows my crying tendency (ahem), but this one story has handed me a true kick in the gut- kind of like that St. Jude's Childrens Hospital telethon. In fact, I've had to stop reading M's blog while at work- for fear that someone came around the corner and find me sobbing at my desk (and not sobbing due to my company's ultimate demise, either.)

Through her story and her family's network, I've also started to follow other blogs of families dealing with similar circumtances.. and as a byproduct, accelerating my contribs. to March of Dimes. Two weeks ago, the mom blog community suffered another, this time sudden, loss- a story that also has been widely distributed- Maddie (17 mos old).

While Magdalena and Maddie represent just two children out of millions whose loss is unfathomable, even to strangers like myself, I commend their parents for a strength that I can't even imagine and also for staying in the blog world to share their stories and whatever it is they draw upon each morning to even keep going. Surely their writing is therapuetic, and judging by the hundreds of comments & prayers left for them, they are drawing upon comfort that others around the world offer.

So, I share these stories b/c it seemed like a great way to offer my thanks for having a seemingly healthy 7 month old (and his 3yr old brother in the room next door), whose appetite is unsatiable at all hours around the clock. That I have them both to go pick up in the evening at their daycares and from whom it is hard to get an hour's peace and quiet. I'd much rather go this route than not.

Because the above content is such a downer (though, important part of the 'life is so unfair sometimes' train of thought), I'll share the recent joys of our life, to end this blog entry on a lighter note:

1. Logan did FABULOUSLY at his first dentist appointment Fri morning. It went so much better than expected. No whine/cry/freak-out/trauma (to the dental professionals, me or him). Maybe I'll try an opthamologist appt. for him now. Pressing my luck..
2. Landscapers arrived yesterday to start the backyard paver project. YEAH! We can't wait to start enjoying the new backyard oasis this coming weekend (ha, I do watch alot of HGTV "Curb Appeal".) And I'm anxious to stop jumping 2 ft out of the back door just to grill dinner outside, since the deck has been gone for 3 wks now.
3. Once the backyard is done and put back together again, I can do minimal spring planting and then I get to concentrate on party planning for Aus' baptism in two weeks+.
4. Great trip to ATL for me and the boys 2 wks ago; both of them were champion flyers, round trip. Such a fun vaca from start to stop.
5. Great Easter and Chris' #35 b-day this month.
6. Both boys made it through last week in daycare all FIVE days each. Wow. Unheard of. I think that is as "normal" as my weeks will get for upcoming months.
7. As of 3/24, job searching was officially added to my mix- waiting for the RIF that will conclude my BearingPoint career. Each week that goes by, I'm one of the lucky ones. Buying time while I search for alternatives.

I'll write again on the sooner of a note-worthy event, picture, or Austin's Baptism. Thank you for reading and hopefully holding the families of whom I spoke in your own thoughts and prayers.