Yesterday morning when I woke up, I was excited for the day I had in my mind. The day I envisioned involved a cake and some daisies and some quiet time of reflection about my Mom on her birthday. I climbed on my treadmill as my family started to stir and prepare for school and work; looking forward to my time alone once they all went their separate ways. My plan was foiled moments later when my husband came downstairs pointed his thumb down and said "No school today, we just got the call".
I will not get into the whys of our district calling a snow day, I have given up trying to understand that, but I will say this, I just did not get it, we have had way worse days than this and still had school. On top of the snow day which immediately took my quiet reflective day alone away, came the news of the destruction and tragedy of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Checkmate, game over! Any plans I had were toast and I was faced with making a new reality for my day. Watching the tremendous news coverage of the aftermath of the tragedy in Japan and trying to get my children to focus on their upcoming trips over their schools spring break became the order of the day.
In my mind I thought I was making lemonade out of lemons by suggesting that we head out to shop for the items that they are lacking in their clothing for spring and summer. I did have one caveat, for Avery (who is traveling with her good friend and her family to Florida) I wanted her to go through what she had and see what she really needed with the understanding that I would invest in one new swimsuit for her. Aly on the other hand is going on a mission trip with our church to Florida. The church has advised that the kids bring clothing that can get dirty. The church requested nothing too fancy that you have to worry about keeping nice. This trip is not about dressing to impress, it is about helping by working on homes and reaching out to the community in Orlando. I know what you are thinking, Orlando? But here is the thought. For Aly's first mission trip I did not feel comfortable sending her to Haiti, or India. I felt that many Americans need help and support too and this would give Aly a look outside of how we live. Hopefully giving her an appreciation for the life she has. Anyway, Aly has to bring a one piece swimsuit which sounds easy enough, but Aly's taste and the fashion industries idea of what one piece means, made it pretty tough.
Needless to say, I did not get the day I had hoped for. I verbally tussled with two teenage girls over fashion and appropriateness in clothing and eventually found my way out of the mall tomb. I did stop at a local vegetable and bakery store to choose something cake like in my Mom's honor, but the process seemed rushed. I looked at the daisies and thought to myself, why, and then walked away without them. From there I hurried home from shopping and chopped vegetables for the Shrimp Ettoffee that Mark was going to make for dinner and watched more news about Japan.
Yesterday was not what I had planned, but it was not what millions in Japan had planned either. Our lives twist and turn and rise and fall everyday and we must learn to move along with it. It is said best by an American who was in Japan during the earthquake, "You felt like you were riding a skateboard while on a rollercoaster." Yep, that's life, that is what happens when you are making other plans.
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