Hold on and do your best~

It has been so long since I have written on my "blog spot"...the roller coaster of my life has taken me on some looooooooong twists and turns. I have finally returned to my classroom after a long absence. One expected (THE WEDDING), one not expected (MY MOM'S OPEN HEART SURGERY).
Now, the roller coaster we all live on certainly keeps us supported, but we never know where we are going and how long, we just know we are on the ride for life. My wedding to Steve, way back in October was the single most greatest day of my life. To look into the eyes of the soul you have found, the man you want to travel beside the rest of your days and nights, is alone, the greatest moment of my life. Add to that a room filled with 300 hearts filled with love and pouring that love out to you and another 100 or more hearts you are carrying in your heart for this day! It really does leave one speechless.
We enjoyed a fantastic honeymoon in NY...fabulous! And then began our road trip back home to Florida. The trip back was great, and we arrived in time for us to go thru some gifts, do some laundry and head back to work. On my first day back to school, I was floating, it felt so good to see my kids. My sub, Kathy, should get the substitute of the year award. She is truly a blessing. She even submitted my 1st quarter report cards and then wrote all of my interims. A blessing!
The day was great, we shared alot of love in morning meeting and were able to get work done, spending most of our day together on task.
That evening my cell phone rang and I noticed my sister's cell phone number. My sister NEVER calls me from her cell, NEVER! I looked over at Steve who was working at the computer, and told him this was weird. She informed me that she was at the hospital with my Mom, who DROVE HERSELF to the doctor because she didn't feel too good. Thankfully, the doctor called the ambulance which rushed her to the hospital. 2 days, and 10 lbs of water removed later, we were all at the hospital listening to the cardiologists tell us she needed to have open heart surgery. A little background is that my Mom, at 82, has prided herself on never taking meds and living the positive attitude life. Her BP is continually 110 over 6o, sugar a constant 88, heart rate a consistant 75 and cholesterol a comfortable 130. It's good to be Marie!
Well, having rheumatic fever as a child caught up to Marie. Both valves needed to be replaced, and in the interim, they were doing a bypass, while they were in there!!!
She referred to her cardiologists as the McDreamy's! I must confess, there was probably some family lineage that brought them to the Kennedy and Clooney line of DNA!
Sweet as they were McDreamy's held her hand thru the whole thing. She made them blush a few times, but they respected her optimism and gift for living.
The morning of the surgery, they came up to see her before the surgery to ask is she had any questions or concern.
"Not really" she said.
"Not nervous?" McDreamy asked.
"Not really, why should I be." replied Mom. She then asked "Are you going to do your best today Doc?" Doc answered, "Absolutely!". "So am I, so why should I be nervous. If we both do our best, the rest is out of our hands.!".
I can only dream that I have 2% of the beauty this woman cultivates within her.
Surgery went well, 16 days later I returned home to my wonderful, amazing, supportive, loving husband.
I also returned to my class, who had written me letters to tell me how much they loved me, missed me, and hoped my Mom was doing better. Priceless!
That morning meeting my students and I had shared was the most loving it had ever been. I shared all my experiences with my Mom and explained the process. One of my students noted that it must have been sad seeing your Mom sick after being so happy on your wedding. I agreed, and took that "teachable" moment to explain that life was like a roller coaster, up and down, up and down and we just have to hold one. I also thanked them for being on the ride with me.
Before we left our circle, I told them, "Do your best today, I will be, I promise".