Turned Ankle

Last week I was reminded that life can change in an instant. My priorities Wednesday morning of cleaning my kitchen and scrubbing my bathroom quickly became afterthoughts as my attention shifted to caring for my sister and her children. In a moment. the cleanliness of my house became inconsequential. I was reminded of what is truly important in life.

Sheri could have died or faced a lifetime of disability. Because of the quick actions of the paramedics and emergency room physicians, she received the clot breaking medication quickly. She sustained no permanent brain damage from the event and, with time, she will make a full recovery. She had a stroke on Wednesday yet was released from the hospital on Saturday. I find that remarkable.

My niece Tiffany spent the weekend with me and has been safely returned home. She and Robby had a great time playing and I know that he misses his little partner in destruction. I loved hearing them laugh, especially during this stressful time. However, I am amazed at how much chaos two little people can create in a relatively short amount of time!

Tiffany and Robby have a common love for all things arts and crafts related. In an attempt to occupy busy hands and to help minimize the stress that my niece was feeling, I opened up my craft supply drawer and gave them free access. I created an art utopia!

My two little artists happily created for hours. Unfortunately, I now have glittered floors, Play D'oh is encrusted in my dining room table, and I find myself trying to find out how to remove not-so-washable marker from my cat's fur. Beads are littering my living room floor and I found a pipe cleaner in my dishwasher. I sat on the couch yesterday and felt more than the cushion beneath me. I stood up to find that I sat on an open tube of blue glitter blue. I am now sporting a sparkling bum in my pajama pants!

I had planned on spending yesterday cleaning up the aftermath of Robby's extended play date. Apparently my leg had other plans for the day. As I walked throughout the house, my limb worsened. As strange as it sounds, by the afternoon it felt like I had somehow twisted my limb. It felt like a turned ankle, but obviously since the joint is no longer there, that couldn't be possible. Walking was painful.

My plans of cleaning were derailed by my non-existent twisted ankle. I ended up putting down the broom and cuddling next to Robby on the couch to watch cartoons. I was frustrated that my leg was hurting, but I was happy for the break.

Maybe my sore leg was the sign I needed to just slow down for a day or two and recharge. If I learned anything last week, it is that life is unpredictable. I need to learn to relax and just enjoy the moment. For what its worth, I also learned that, given enough time, a cat will eventually lick the purple marker (apparently non-toxic) off her white paws and blue glitter makes objects appear slightly smaller in the mirror!