Memories of Mothering During a Curve Ball Weekend

What a weekend!  Originally it had been planned for the entire Sells Clan to be in Fort Worth to celebrate my niece’s graduation from Texas Christian University.  Emily will graduate Saturday with a degree in Education.  However, she will stay one more year to complete her Master’s program as a Teaching Assistant.  Emily has all that it takes to become one of America’s finest classroom teachers.  We are all so very proud of her.

But as I am well aware of, life throws us curve balls and plans change.  From our clan, only Allyson was able to get to Fort Worth, a direct SWA flight from St. Louis to Love Field in Dallas.  Anna-Lee has been in Fayetteville since late Thursday with her high school soccer team (LR Christian Academy), on Friday winning the 5A state soccer championship – second championship year in a row!  Yes, we are all proud of her too (see page 6C of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s sport section). Anna-Lee is still in Fayetteville with her dad for his nephew’s graduation.  I’m hopeful that she returns to Little Rock sometime Saturday.

As for me, I’m neither in Fort Worth or Fayetteville.  Oh the evils of this Taxol chemotherapy drug.  Because I escaped the nausea perils of Adriamycin, I felt certain I would also conquer the side effects of Taxol.  Not so!  Since Wednesday night, I have experienced terrible muscle soreness and pain throughout most of my body – from head to toe.  The toughest part has been the pain in my legs as it’s made it quite tough to walk with a few “almost accidents.”  It seems it’s easier to just stay inside and home, even though Tim did take me out to a somewhat kitschy restaurant last night, I think to make me smile.  As usual, he was successful. 

So, life is pretty much been in bed (or on the couch) on pain medication.  I didn’t know that cancer could hurt like this – but it does.  I’ve spent time in meditation, also experienced my first oncology massage.  Both have provided some relief during the experience.  However, when the session is over, the pain just simply returns.  My oncology nurse assures me that this is probably a five-day side effect following each treatment.  Let’s hope so since next weekend we’re headed to Columbia, MO for Allyson’s graduation from Mizzou. 

As for me, and my Mother’s Day weekend, at least until Anna-Lee returns  – I’ve decided to enjoy this annual ritual here at home, relishing in all the memories of motherhood.  I wish you could see me right now, surrounded by photographs and albums of my girls from their first days of life through photos from only a few weeks ago – classic photos of girls in ballet costumes, first days of school, magical birthday parties, vacations at the beach, softball and soccer games, homecoming dances and senior proms.  All of these memories seem as if they only happened a few days ago. 

I love photographs and photo albums filled with memories of my family, especially my daughters.  Each photo is a special memento of days together recorded in perpetuity, a moment frozen on film to remind us of another day.  They are truly a way of holding on to the people that we love, to the things you never want to lose.   

Here’s to my special mother (I adore her!), and to the two girls who qualified me for “mother status.”  I love you all, very much!  Happy Mother's Day everyone!