Lucky

Lucky. It's a word I've heard thrown around quite a bit lately.

On Saturday, J told us he was SO lucky because just that week on Thursday he had gone to his friend's birthday party. On Friday he went to a picnic where he got to play with a bunch of his friends, and that evening he was going to our neighborhood's block party.

Last week was M's first week of school and J's first full week. It was also the first week for fall sports. We were busy! So busy, in fact,  that M decided to get a nap in before making her soccer debut.

LUCKY!

The picnic that I speak of was the annual HAP picnic. I'm a co-chair this year and had the opportunity to introduce myself to the Kindergarten parents at Curriculum night earlier in the week. In my push to get parents to volunteer, I spoke of the feeling of community that we have at Hansen. I told them how on M's first day of school she was greeted by several of the staff there, of how I feel that they are always safe behind those walls. I love the HAP program. I love that the kids travel together through the years. It's a great fit for somebody like J who is socially-challenged. It presents the opportunity for him to build great friendships without much of an effort on his part. I feel very LUCKY to have gotten in, and I feel lucky that  M got into the preschool program there.

Saturday was our first annual neighborhood block party. There was a great turnout. The adults ate and drank while the kids ran around and planned for a talent show. As we were wrapping things up some of the other neighbors and I were talking about how awesome our neighborhood is and how LUCKY we were to have stumbled upon it. 

As it turns out, the next day my mom ended up in the hospital. She had a sinus infection that went haywire; her blood pressure went sky high, her potassium and sodium levels low, and five days later she's still there.

I don't always feel lucky when these things happen. I stress about not being able to be there with her; get angry over the shabby phone lines that won't go through to her room; annoyed at the nurses that don't seem to be doing much. But, she's lucky to have family and friends there that never let her down. They call and visit and keep her stocked with the things she needs.

 I'm LUCKY to have the best mom in the world still here.

And I'm lucky to have my two beautiful kids....

They keep me busy when I need it most. They keep my body moving, my mind occupied, and my heart full of love.