The best day of my life

Yesterday was the best day of my life. It just took me a while to realize it.

At noon, I was scheduled to have lunch with a bunch of people, most of whom I'd never met. I showed up at the right place/time and didn't see the one person I did know. Flashback to kickball in gradeschool, getting picked last... I found another guy who looked lost, turned out he was looking for the same group, so we had lunch together. It worked out OK.

Around 4pm, it started hailing like mad, so I decided to leave and get the kids from daycare early. I leave the house, turn up this mild hill... and lose all traction. I spend a terrifying 10 minutes inching up the hill while stupid drivers zoom around me. Traffic is insane.

I get to a light, I'm waiting to turn left. One car turns left in each turn of the light. The snow is falling so hard that in the time that passes during each revolution of the light, I am unable to move the car forward. So I am inching it forward every 30 seconds just to make sure I can still move. People who were in the lane to go straight see how bad it is on the other side of the road, and they cut in front of me to turn left - one car per light, three people do this.

Thirty minutes later, I've moved 1/4 mile in traffic, and saw the first person (of many that night) abandon their car. I decide to turn into the building garage at the next light (another 15 minutes passes before I am able to actually park). The garage has multiple underground levels and I can see the cars stacked up to at least the end of the second level. I warn several people to just park and walk or stay at work, they all thank me for my advice but continue to sit in that mess.

I get out of the car with my jacket, my kids' jackets, and a blanket. I call my husband and he leaves home from work (we're within walking distance, thank god) to dress in ski gear and get the double stroller. We both make the five mile trek to daycare, watching many more cars get abandoned along the way.

Arrive at 6:30ish, after having started walking around 5:15... pick up the kids, bundle them up, and then turn around and trudge back. On our way back, see a bus on the highway that's had an accident. The bus driver waves at us morosely. Snow is still falling heavy and fast and it coats the stroller, a blanket of white on top of the blanket covering Jared's knees. "I'm cold, mommy" - I put my gloves on his hands, we didn't have any for him.

8:30 PM, we arrive home. Open the garage, Jared says: "How come there's no cars in the garage?". Then: "I was a good boy. I didn't scream or yell." Yes, you were.

We are so lucky.

The best day of my life.

Why is that?

Between lunch and our evening adventure, I was at the funeral for a 6 week old baby.

So who gives a @*#$@#$ that it took me four hours of walking up and down icy hills to get my children home?

Comments

[Kristin]

Excellent excellent excellent post KC. It's so hard to remember how good life is when you get caught up in the day to day hum drum (not to mention the occasional ice storm that requires you to abandon your car and walk up hill both ways!). Thanks for the reminder.

[jo(e)]

You are so right. Thanks for the reminder of what things are really important.

(My heart goes out to your friends who lost their baby -- how tragically awful.)

[Suzanne]

This one brought tears to my eyes. Sometimes we get so angry and frustrated and annoyed with all the stuff that goes on in our lives... but really none of that stuff matters. What matters is that we are together and alive. I've been too close to that place you were between your lunch and evening adventures, or I've envisioned it too many times during one of Toddler in Chief's hospitalizations. My heart goes out to that family and everyone hurting from this sad loss.

[Kendra]

Amen!

[Cynical Mom]

Thanks all. The last few days have been so odd for me. I find myself just covering my children in hugs, even more than usual (and I'm big into hugging). When they yell and scream and push me I don't get annoyed as quickly. I just can't conceive of what it's like for my friends who lost their son, but I am grateful for the reality check it gave me.

[Jen]

Wish i could give you and your kids a big hug after hearing this news.

[Karen]

You're right. You did have the best day of your life. I am so glad it all came out OK. And it turns out, even though you might not have ever forgotten that day, now you'll really never forget that day. While it may not be the best tribute to a small baby who died way too young, in a way, an indelible memory is a pretty powerful tribute.