Friday, September 3, 2010

All things considered...

My sister is in Salem, Oregon.  She won't tell us where she is staying or who she is with.  She calls twice a day from a pay phone or from someone's borrowed cell phone to let us know she is safe and fine.  We've given her numbers of family and friends in the area and notified them of what is going on.  She is still in the missing person database.  We haven't bothered notifying law enforcement because all they will do is bring her to a hospital and then release her onto the street within 24 to 72 hours because she hasn't broken the law and she is not in a crisis situation.  She knows any one of us is ready to go pick her up at moments notice.  In a few days her medicine will have worn off to the point that she will be in a crisis state and will be commitable.  Until then, we wait for her phone calls and pray she is safe.  And that is all we can do.  In a way it is easier to know she is alive and phoning us twice a day and letting us know where she is.  It's also harder.  What if the call doesn't come?  What if she gives us disturbing news?  My sister and her illness consume me.  Dave and his dedication to law school are consuming me.  My desire to be a good mother is consuming me.  I feel pulled in so many directions.   Today my mom and I went grocery shopping.  On our way home we saw a garage sale at a house on the next block.  I have been looking all summer at garage sales for a highchair and have not been able to find one.  But today, there it was.  A beautiful Peg-Perego Primma Pappa highchair for $30.  My jaw dropped.  Here was a $300 highchair sitting in someone's driveway for one-tenth of what it would cost in the store.  I immediately paid full price and loaded it into my car.  For those of you without children, that is the equivalent of finding a new Coach bag at a yard sale for $30.  When we got home, my mom's friend brought us a homemade, hot apple pie because she wanted to feel helpful.  Riley went down for a nap and I cleaned my highchair, ate some pie and watched some trashy television.  It's comforting to know that among all the chaos and tragedy, I can still have an enjoyable afternoon.

1 comment:

  1. 300 dollars for a highchair?! WTF?! If I have kids I guess they will sit in some kind of homemade contraption.

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