I have been careful to not use my blog to promote my work but I’m going to cross the line today. If this bothers you go read another blog!
Recently there has been a transition time for me and it’s been overwhelming and exhausting. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and I can see it getting closer now. I’ll be offering spa treatments and skin care products (Aveda) in my new location. My new partner in business is Justin Pickens, RMT who owns and operates Active Edge Therapeutics, the new massage therapy clinic in town. We’ve chosen the location above King Street Shoes in Suite 201 and we will officially open next week. Come check it out!
The reason I’m telling you all this is to explain why I have a lovely white chair in my living room that is the reason this story came about. The past month has been nuts with renovations, painting, decision making, going in circles some days…. and the entire month the contents of my office are in my house. I’ve brought one chair up to the living room to look after the emergency waxing situations that arise. The kids have seen some of these events take place and have learned to take it in stride. Trey is quite friendly and asks people questions and chats with them about the procedure they are visiting for.
This evening I warned him that someone was coming to have eyebrows taken care of. “OK Neenee, I’ll be good.” Pretty cute but it didn’t end there… the soliloquy went like this…
“Neenee, you’re a great doctor. You take good care of people in that white chair. You make them feel good and you do good work. You make people pretty Neenee. You do a good job Neenee, you’re a good doctor. I love you Neenee cuz you’re the best.”
So right about now I’m feeling very good about the work I do and just can’t break the news that I’m not a doctor. I do fix things. I do make people feel better most of the time. I have patients! Now I’m ready to set up the new studio and get to work keeping in mind that my little guy thinks I’m pretty amazing.
(I really didn’t make this up – he is just that adorable!)

I’ve done it…. I’ve created a monster but I’m going to blame Uncle Jeff! Peanut butter has always been a favourite of Trey’s but recently he has become more civilized about his consumption habits. You see when he was a wee little guy he’d dig his hand in the jar and eat it like there was no tomorrow. I’ve managed to break that habit and seriously cut down on the intake of the stuff. Now, I do love PB as well but it is not a food group of it’s own!
Last week I was having an early morning chat with my brother who is in Kansas (that means 2 hours earlier for him – ugh!) I told Jeff how Trey had just had his spoonful of PB just like he does… his response was “I just did that too!” I thought it was worth sharing with Trey so I called him in and showed him Jeff’s picture and told him that Uncle Jeff was eating his peanut butter just like he did. He thought that was so interesting but his comment was even better… “Uncle Jeff is funny sitting inside with his sun glasses on!” The child is used to using Skype and seeing people in real time so there is Jeff’s profile picture with his sunglasses on. Silly man. This little interaction has left an impression on Trey. He remembers Uncle Jeff from his visit last summer and thinks he’s pretty cool because he hangs out with Auntie Lisa. Now they share a culinary delight that seems off limits because it’s not the traditional recipe. Since that day Trey asks for his spoon filled as if it’s perfectly normal because he knows Jeff does it. How do I argue? I can’t.
This evening I was busy for a minute changing Dija into her jammies and Trey was oddly silent and I’m so tired I was oblivious (tired is another story… I’ll tell you soon). I walked into the kitchen to see Trey proudly holding a spoon heaped, and I mean HEAPED with the gooey stuff. Not only did it overflow the spoon part but half the handle as well. He was so pleased I had no reaction. I bet it was about a ½ cup of peanut butter! “Please put the jar back Neenee… thank you.” I remained serious but nonreactive even though a kid digging in a food jar really drives me nuts because I may have wanted to eat some of the contents later but now… ew! So he now has his own jar and I’ll buy new stock for the rest of us and until then I’ll eat jam.

I will have a happy Mother’s Day but it doesn’t come without the other thoughts that will go through my mind. I often think about the women who would love to be mothers and the pain they experience from that missing element in their lives and how this day just elevates those feelings for them. I think about the years I held my breath waiting to hear if other family members were expecting the little one they so desired while I was able to pop the babies out like a pez candy dispenser… didn’t seem fair to me. Then there are the moms who have lost a child or the children who have lost mothers far too soon.
So now here we are at another one of these days…
I’m a mother all over again. Willingly, yes, but unexpected. These little ones are aware that it’s Mother’s Day but seem to think it means all weekend (I’ll accept that!). Trey and Dija have been telling me they love me and saying Happy Mother’s Day since Friday when Trey brought home the flower from Nursery School and the note about why he loves me – “because she tucks me in my bed”. He’s not your average almost 4 year old and he does love his bed. Dija follows his lead and is happy to give me cuddles and loves as well.
So with the bright spot of these adorable kids (I can say this easily right now because it’s nap time) comes the shadow of why I have them. This is not the order of things in most families. These children did not ask to be raised by grandparents. Sadness does creep in periodically but fortunately I don’t have too long to dwell there. I do not feel sorry for myself concerning the change of direction in my life but my heart breaks for such young lives to have lost so much already. I know someday they will want to know the story but for now they are simply content to be with us.
For now I will celebrate being a mom again and I will celebrate having a great mom to help us with our new lifestyle…