It's a hard thing to choose between your parents and your kids. It feels like a tug of war, but either way you are going to be pulled into the mud. My parents are 225 miles away from me. I'd like to spend more time with them but there is the so many things my children are involved in or committed to do.
For a couple of weeks I've been trying to get down to spend time with me father because he was having a knee replacement. Due to an injury, I was not able to be with him during his surgery or hospital stay. Then when he was released to come home unexpectedly, I couldn't figure out how to get down with my injury still unsolved and my schedule. My sister had to leave town so none of his children were closer than an hour away.
Even this week, my Dad turned 70 and next week my mom will. I felt he should have family around him. I'm a big believer in really celebrating birthdays, especially mile stone ones. Yet to do so I had to leave my high schoolers home alone. My husband was in Des Moines. This meant both parents were more than 3 hours away. I tried to schedule everything before I left to get the younger of the teens where he needed to be. However, things came up unexpectedly for those who volunteered to help. That left me wondering how I was going to get him picked up after wrestling practice yesterday. It worked out thanks to my sister-in-law. But I felt like a horrible parent.
So when I can't be there for my parents, I'm a horrible daughter. When I can't be there for my children, I'm a horrible parent. God says to provide for your children and take care of your parents. How do you do that with 225 miles separating them?
Now, about my haircut. I always figure it doesn't matter if someone messes up my hair. It will grow. But boy! When it happens, that answer just doesn't seem to cut it. I'd hate for anyone to think I chose this cut. Do I buy a shirt that says, "She messed up my hair?" or "Went drastic to see if you noticed." It's so short, I can't even pull it back to hide it.
Well, one thing should go right today. A new episode of Monk will start in 20 minutes.
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