Dear Child of Mine,
I have to be honest with you. While the issue of infertility is very painful, and our desire to have you is very real, sometimes I switch things up and lighten the mood. I’m sure I throw people off by the things I am able to joke about. But I figure laughter really is good for the heart, and I shouldn’t take myself (or my problems) too seriously.
Our friends, Randy and Sheryl, have a quilt on their couch that was made for them years ago (four kids ago) by a lady who described it as a “fertility quilt.” (Obviously the quilt worked for them!) This concept has always struck me as funny, but every once and a while when we’re visiting together, I really get the giggles about this quilt. When Sheryl asked me if I’d like a blanket, I looked at Kevin and said, “BRING ON THE FERTILITY QUILT!” Yes, we were all laughing!
Then, the other night I gathered in the church library with 5 other church leaders, including your dad, in a meeting to discuss plans for the Christmas Eve services and holiday decorating strategies. I arrived at the meeting 10 minutes late because I had to speed walk (literally) from my piano studio after 4 hours of lessons, and then I would be heading straight from this meeting to my Wednesday night vespers gathering. All good things, but bam, bam, bam, one right after the other.
By the end of the meeting I was getting a little slap happy. (This happens to your mother when she’s low on energy, sleep, and/or patience. I figure it’s better alternative grumpiness.) After we closed in prayer (as every good church meeting does), I happened to catch a glance of this book on the shelf behind me:
Without thinking, I blurted out for the whole group to hear –
“This book is titled Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours, but I TOTALLY thought it said Making Children Without Losing Your Mind.”
Everyone erupted in laughter, with expressions of slight shock and a teeny bit of embarrassment thrown in. Had the title of the book really been Making Children Without Losing Your Mind it would have been incredibly appropriate for your dad and I. Oh the satire was just too rich!
I share this story so that you know I’m not always uptight. I’m not always super spiritual. I’m not always thinking critically. Sometimes I’m just plain ridiculous.
I hope you’ll appreciate my oddities as much as your dad does (most of the time.)
Love,
Your Mama
Oh the stories you could tell!
Yo, future fisheccles – she's right! I can attest to the slap happy-ness… call me – I'll tell you stories!!!! (her college roommate – who stayed up late with her many times)