Monday, January 16, 2012

Three Things

First, thank you all for your comments about my dad. I waited a few days to write because I was having trouble figuring out how to address it. It was a big, scary event and it affected me, and I wanted to share it, but we knew he was going to be okay, so I didn't want to be overly dramatic about it, but it was scary, but he IS okay... so I waited. We didn't really even know the story until my mom got out there Saturday morning and then, after reading her detailed account, I was actually more upset than I was when I first found out on Friday (the idea that he was in an ambulance, alone in Germany, thinking he was going to die, ripped my heart out). But I have good news- he was discharged from the hospital in Munich this afternoon and he and my mom are booked to fly home tomorrow. It's going to be a hellish journey- navigating the airport, flying from Munich to Frankfurt and then Frankfurt to Houston, with a broken sternum, a bunch of cracked ribs, and terrible bruising all over (most of it on his back and backside, making sitting incredibly uncomfortable), but I know he's anxious to get home and hopefully he can max out the oral pain meds. My brother is driving over on Thursday to keep him company while my mom goes back to teaching and we're planning to head over as soon as he feels good enough to risk being in the same room as two children under 5. I'm just... I'm so glad he's okay.

Second, my firm was closed today, as was daycare, so I spent the day moderately supervising my children and engaging in one of my favorite activities- cleaning out closets! After doing this for much of the Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks, you'd think I'd be out of closets by now, but every time I go through one, I find more to give away. Claire's closet is now down to a chest of drawers and the hanging items that she is wearing now and those that she will be wearing in the spring and THAT'S IT- not a single box, bag, or shelf item remains. I can't tell you how happy this makes me. I did the same with Landon's closet, the guest room closet, and the top-of-the-stairs closet that previously housed a random assortment of items that are now either at Goodwill or relocated to labeled storage bins in the attic. I also cleaned out our junk drawer in the kitchen, something that hadn't been touched since we dumped a box of stuff in there after our 2008 move, the hidden shelves in our study where we throw things through squinted eyes so we don't have to see the mess behind the doors, the hutch behind the kitchen table that previously housed birthday party decor, board games, art supplies, laptop power cords, and 2008 New Year's decorations and noise makers, and our jumble of dvd's in the entertainment center. IT FEELS SO GOOD. I packed up an entire car full of stuff for Goodwill, packed bags of giveaways for friends, and just generally felt 10 lbs. lighter. I gave JP the grand closet/drawer tour when he came home from work. He was appreciative, but he doesn't quite understand the post-clean-out high. The homemade chicken lasagne with homemade tomato cream sauce received far more enthusiastic praise, he just doesn't quite share my loathing for extra Stuff and the way it just sits around taunting you while it takes up space for no real purpose. And I'll admit, the lasagna was pretty tasty.

Third, while backing my car out of the garage this evening to take my "entire car full of stuff for Goodwill" to Goodwill, I backed directly into JP's car. It was a moment of breathtaking stupidity. I have a back-up camera and JP is always parked behind me and over to the right. The crunch of the metal felt exactly as bad as my previous 8 hours of cleaning felt good. My Highlander has some deep scrapes; his Sonata has a huge dent that messed up the alignment of the whole bumper. Fixing that (or, more correctly, finding someone else to it quickly so we don't lose a car for multiple days and without costing too much money in the month of our long-awaited ski vacation that I'm already kind of freaking out about the cost of) is now #1 on my to-do list for tomorrow. Ugh. Though, this close to my dad's horrible accident, I know to be grateful that my little incident will only hurt our credit card, even if I feel like a complete idiot for causing it.

Bonus fourth thing- behold, my somehow suddenly much bigger and more grown-up children as captured with my iPhone because despite my resolution to get back into photography, I haven't yet picked up my camera this year:


Landon, trying on his new ski gear, and Claire, showing my grandma her new laptop (which was a gift from my other grandma- we love having all four great-grandparents in the same building!).

17 comments:

  1. So glad your dad's ok! Also, if it makes you feel better, I did the exact same thing to my hubby's car. He had just gotten back from deployment and I wasn't used to his car being there. Thankfully there were only some big scratches and small dents, but I totally feel you on the feeling of stupidity at that moment.

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  2. I've been offline... so sorry your dad was hurt, that must have been terrifying! Very very glad he's ok.

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  3. The trip home sounds like it will be awful, but I'm sure he'll be glad to be back home.

    I don't know how you get so much done with the kids around! I'm like you -- I love having everything in its place, knowing exactly what I have and where to find everything, and having not too much more than what I need and use.

    Argh, that sucks about the cars -- it's bad enough to back the car into something by accident, but for it to be your other car is even worse! Hope fixing it isn't too bad.

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  4. I'm so glad your dad is headed back to the States. I will be praying for his journey.

    Also, I have backed into someone's car (my former boss). Hearing your story made me cringe. It is a pretty sucky feeling. I hope you can get it fixed quickly and inexpensively!

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  5. Hit another Yoga class girlfriend!!!
    (Lindsey in Denver CO)

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  6. I once backed into my parent's car in my driveway. Argh. Claire's hands are too cute.

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  7. Totally sucks about the fender bender--I did the same thing, too--backed my car into my dad's car! The best advice I can give is that s*&t happens and it doesn't mean you're dumb. It just means you're not perfect (surprise!)! Chin up!

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  8. My secret weapon for thrift donations--the VVA!

    The only slight downside is that they only pickup 2x per week in my area, but they DO pick it up!

    http://www.scheduleapickup.com/

    I know that there is a real sense of "Purge it Now!" after the donations have been culled, but I like to gather up a box and then schedule the pickup online. I tell myself patience is good for the soul.

    The smallest donation size is the rather wide range of 1-3 small boxes/bags, so I keep adding the next day or two until the pickup comes. Right out on the doorstep it goes and away they whisk it sometime during the day.

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  9. Soooooo happy that your dad is ok! Would you like me to bring a meal over to them when they get back? I think they live in the subdivision across the way from us? I would be happy to bring them some goodies...just let me know. It's funny how your perspective changes with the accident...some things just don't seem that important anymore!! Adorable pictures of the kids!

    Patty from TX

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  10. Totally random question, but whatever happened to JP's Tahoe that caused so much controversy a couple of years ago?

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    1. He traded it for the used Sonata when he got his new job and his commute went from 0 miles a day to 120 miles a day. Despite all the furor we unwittingly caused, we don't actually hate the Earth all that much.

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    2. People are nutty. In your place, I would have had no patience and deleted all those comments.

      Glad to hear that your Dad is OK. We were flying from Europe just last week and I can't imagine being crammed in an airplace seat with a broken sternum!

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  11. Also dad update! My parents have landed safely in Houston and are on their way to their house. My mom said the flight was uncomfortable for him but my dad was a "trooper" and they are both VERY glad to be home. And we're very glad to have them there too :). Now he'll begin the physical and emotional recovery- I adore my dad, but he is terrible at staying still and always have 15 simultaneous home improvement projects going on. Sitting and healing is not going to come easy. I'm going to have to post for book recommendations or something...

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  12. Now might be a good time for him to start building model airplanes or ships in a bottle or something.

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  13. Ha, I'll add that to the list. I'm putting together a care package with puzzles, books, and movies. It's going to be a long few weeks for him (and my mom).

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  14. Glad your dad is doing okay... what a scary situation.
    When my FIL had surgery and needed to be still to recover, we got him the Discovery Earth series of DVDs. They are beautiful to watch.

    Hope he is back to 100% soon.

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  15. Glad your dad is recovering and home (I've been following on Facebook). Hugs to you and your family.

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