I woke yesterday morning to the sweetest and most peaceful moment. Aiden had already placed his wet sheets into the washer, wiped off his bed, taken a shower, and was about to place the kittens near me as I slept. He did...and Tigger curled up next to me, Bonita curled up next to Tigger, and Aiden strived to curl up to all of us. When the kittens feel asleep, he left me to cuddle with them, knowing the happiness it brings me.
I could've stayed there for hours, and I was tempted to after the long hard week I had, but my thoughts were interrupted by my sister's text wondering what our plans were for the day.
I had a very hard week, and I know I have been specifically and harshly mocked for the expression of my trials on my blog...though not even a small bit of them have been expressed publicly, but I am honest. In being honest, I try to be uplifting as well...and mysterious, so people don't know the true nature of the trial. Only if you KNOW me, do you KNOW our trials...and those people are few and far between, unless information is sadly leaked and trust spilt.
This week was hard, leaving me for days with tears, puffy eyes that I tried to ease with warm wash clothes and rice packs, headaches that were not cured by medication, only the ceasing of crying, and emotions that left me without appetite or desire to work my tail off...which I do daily!!! The feeling is familiar...and one I would never wish to revisit again.
This past Monday night, I walked into my patients room. The mother of the patient said, "Crystal"
"Yes, what can I do for you?" was my reply.
"No, Crystal, I was just thinking of your name, and what it means. It is just that, a crystal; a beautiful formation created from a strong and pure foundation. But, in order for that formation to create that crystal, the elements of the earth have to come together in the most perfect order from that foundation in order to create a beautiful crystal. That's what you are Crystal, you have been given a very special name!"
I was left in awe...in shock...and tears filled my eyes.
My mother desired to name me Elizabeth, but my father was chosen to name me since my mother named Sara...our princess! My father's favorite singer was Crystal Gale...and for the longest time I couldn't disassociate that from me. Over the years, the separation occurred and I know that I am truly meant to be Crystal.
Aiden and Connor were playing the other day (7&9), and a war was reaching it's highest level of acuity based on their running and ducking amongst the rocky grounds (our stone landscaped yard). The forces must have been many, because as Aiden was in desperate attempt to fight his hardest, he yelled, "I'm holding up my Crystal Shield!"
"WHAT?" I shouted in shock.
"It's my Crystal Shield Mom, see how pretty it is. It protects me!"
I was then led to tell them of who I am, Crystal, Crystal Shield...they thought it was amazing! And yes, I do protect them!
That little story of hope on Monday night has carried me through some of the week. I know my Father and truest family and friends regard me unique, beautiful, and of great worth. So after a week of placing warm wash clothes on poofy eyes, rice packs on my head, and taking medicines to ease a headache that only the ceasing of crying can ease, I decided to follow through with my plans to take my sister out to lunch.
This is her, a beautiful gal...in so many ways. Her name is Sunny. She is a true and beautiful member of the church who has told me all week long to not trust in the opinions of those who do not know me, but KNOW who I am! She's had a really hard week too!
We went to the mall and found the greatest deals on Perfumed body lotions... and we only bought a few before we headed to a favorite sub spot. Our day was ending way too short when i dropped her off only to head back into town for my son's appointment. I told her husband, "You know I could keep your wife out all day long if it wasn't for my son's appointment!"
She called me moments later to say that her husband left to run his own errands and she was home alone, so I made a quick U-turn to have her with me all day long!
We ended up at Connor's 9 year well visit appointment, and she took over her youngest, Christian (1 year) and my crazy hyperactive son Aiden with my wandering little Maya in the waiting room while Lydia and Connor came with me into the exam room.
Lydia insisted that she do everything her brother did...and the nurse was very patient...doing all things for her as she had done for Connor. It came time for Connor to pee in a cup (because of some concerns I have had regarding him...and Maya's link to kidney/urinary problems we already face in our family). He was so compliant and calm...then Lydia decided she needed to pee... and Connor said, "I'll just wait in the exam room!"
When Lydia was done, I decided I needed to "pee", and Lydia said, "I'll just wait in the exam room!" with her lispy 3 year old voice!
I walked into the exam room with the doctor already there, sitting at the computer, and I told her, "Well, you know Connor had to pee in a cup, so naturally Lydia had to pee, and then lo and behold, I decided I had to as well!" She looked at me, taken by surprise with my bluntness and started cracking up. She quickly complimented my hair, we joked some more, and then she said, "You guys, your Mom's hair is making her so spunky and funny, I just love it!!! And you're so cute and stylish!"
Connor was found to be in the 85th percentile for height at 55.5 inches...only 6.5 away from me (and he grew 6 inches this past year alone!) and in the 50th percentile for weight at 68 pounds...more than half my current weight. I love him so much! He clung to me when he had to receive lab work to rule out kidney and endocrine problems, and then he clung tighter afterwards as I cheered him on as the best son ever. When we walked out to the waiting room, the doctor took a quick peek at Sunny, surprised to see that she was my sister (Sunny sends her kids there too!). We laughed and the doctor joked about how Sunny can't round up the kids...Aiden was hanging over the front desk, Maya was wandering everywhere in the office, and Christian was in his mother's arms screaming! Oh joy, I thought, my sister had to babysit for me!
When we left I found a great deal on 6 inch heels from Target...love my HIGH heels, though I only buy them on clearance! It takes me from 5'2" to 5'8"...that's awesome!
Only after we had been to Target did we realize that the boys...who had been with Antonio (Sunny's husband) all day at the movies, hadn't had a drink...not even water! We played into it by telling them to just wait until after Target...oh the times we will laugh at when all is said and done!
We then went back to the mall and bought a ton of the clearance lotions and lip glosses...
We made 5 trips total...
With each trip one of us hopped out of the car to buy more items that we instantly feel in love with the moment we tried it! Hey...we don't buy full price...ever! And now we are well stocked!
Sometimes girls really do just wanna have fun...
we did...
and I think we deserved it!
