Tuesday I received the joyous news that my friend and co-worker Becky Jolly had given birth to a baby boy - the fourth Jolly child born to Becky and her husband Jeremy. I thought perhaps we were going to have to have a naming contest, but then we heard Tyson James would join Trent, Kylie and Maya. I was so happy for the family.
Then word came that a relative had gotten bad news about her pregnancy. The baby had passed away in utero. My relative had been due this winter with her second child - to join a young son. I was sad for the couple - and their son. A miscarriage is the loss of a potential life that you have planned on for several months, yet there are no real formal ways society has to acknowledge that loss.
As one who has suffered a miscarriage, the news immediately brought back the feelings I had way back in 1984 when I suffered the loss of our first pregnancy. Watching other pregnant women successfully carry their babies. Wondering if I would ever had a child - feeling like a failure somehow, even though there was no way to know what had gone wrong, and I certainly wasn't anyone's fault.
Also, that was the first time life "had done me wrong". Before that miscarriage, I didn't really think about it. I just thought I was one of those people that followed the rules and did things the right way. So things like that wouldn't happen to me. I was wrong. Bad things happen all the time to good (and in my case pretty good) people. I had to get my mind around that fact. The whole "why us?" Little did I know there was more to come later...but first we had a couple of great healthy babies, Amy and Jud. Life went on. But there was grieving and angst first.
On Tuesday this week, I was torn - filled with joy for the Jolly family, but so sad for my family because of the loss. The great roller coaster of life. It gives, it takes. Any spare prayers or thoughts would be appreciated for those who have lost pregnancies.
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| post rain walk on Capitol grounds |
It was a good week otherwise - early flooding rains gave away to perfect Iowa summer weather. I had a couple work road trips - to Franklin County and to Iowa City. It was nice to get out of the office. I walked in the East Village one lunchtime - for the first time since I broke my shoulder. I had been leaving the office at lunchtime to work at home, but the shoulder is feeling good enough now to work full time at the office. Physical therapy is ongoing. Odie will miss me at home!
I received a text message from daughter Amy Friday night that she had arrived in Atlanta, Georgia. That city is where she'll be making her new home with after seven years in Colorado. We look forward to visiting Atlanta in October as it's a place I've never really spent time. I can't wait to see what's next in this chapter of Amy's life.
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| DMS's one skyscraper in the background |
Saturday, Paul headed south to check his deer trail cameras, so I decided to venture down to Gray's Lake near downtown DSM for my morning walk. It was gorgeous out. Afterwards, I stopped for a breakfast sandwich at Gateway Market, which I brought home to eat on the deck while I listened to a book. My idea of a perfect morning!
When Paul arrived home and we went to Windsor Vacuum to make a big local purchase - a new vacuum sweeper. Yep - Pablo gets a new saw (fun) and I get a vacuum (not). Life ain't fair McGee. I enjoyed the family operating this business. I had stopped there for bags for our present awful vacuum, and their 15 year-old son started in on the pitch, with dad taking over. We had been looking at the big box stores, but local sold me! Sales AND service. So guess what I did Saturday afternoon? You're right. I vacuumed.
That night, our friends the McKims met us at a new joint, Draught House 50 for a brew and a meal. We saw a few Crestonites (and former) there Mary Hilger and Mark and Tracy Evans were also at this restaurant on Mills Civic Parkway. It was fun to catch up with the McMs.
This week Paul heads to Washington D.C. for work, so I'll be flying solo with my sidekick the wonderdog. Then we head to Wisconsin for the Goldsmith fam golf tourney reunion. I'm looking forward to seeing Paul's brothers/sisters and spouses. It's been a while.
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