Tonight's picture was taken in October of 2006. There is a long story regarding this costume. Back in October of 2005, Mattie decided he wanted to be a calico cat (like our cat Patches) for Halloween. Since Mattie preferred sweat suit type material, I decided to make the cat costume myself. Mattie and I went to AC Moore and we picked out felt for the cat's spots, and then he and I glue gunned the spots onto the sweat suit. We even made a tail out of black tights and I transformed my headband into ears. Mattie was all set for Halloween 2005 to be a cat, until he became very ill. He spiked a high fever, was vomiting non-stop and was in pain. We took him to the Emergency Room and he was then admitted to the hospital for two days. He had an ear infection that went septic throughout his body. Mind you I took him to his pediatrician the day before our ER visit, and I told her I suspected that Mattie had an ear infection. She looked in his ears and in her patronizing tone, dismissed us, saying he was fine! She blew that one royally, and therefore from that moment on if I complained Mattie had an issue, I was taken seriously. Not given anymore of that first time mom dialogue which I found so UNHELPFUL! Needless to say, when Mattie was admitted to the hospital, it was during Halloween. Mattie never got to wear his costume or go trick or treating. Which was why in 2006, we brought out the costume we made the year before, and Mattie finally got to wear it!
Quote of the day: Seashells remind us that every passing life leaves something beautiful behind. ~ Unknown
I went to my friend Janet's funeral today. I like funerals just as much as I like wakes. Yet I know they can be of great comfort to family and friends. I actually like going to church and hearing the music, what turns me off is how priests interpret the scriptures and life in general. If I did not have to hear their homilies, I most likely would go to church. Now I realize there are gifted priests out there, it does happen every now and then. The priest who baptized Mattie and also presided over his funeral is brilliant, compassionate, and very spiritual. I met Father Jim, when I was a graduate student at the George Washington University. For one of my first assignments in my graduate program, I had to find a person in the community to counsel and then write a case study about this person and the experience. The complicated part was I had to be able to do this under the supervision of a licensed professional. It dawned on me to approach the Catholic Newman Center on campus with my request to do a case study. That is when I met Jim. My joke with him always was.... you gave me my first client! But I liked Jim immediately and Peter and I are still connected with him. We need to clone him.
During today's homily, I heard that line that drives me batty.... that my friend died because it was God's will. It was her time and we should take comfort in knowing she is with God. I am sure this brings peace to some people. I know hearing this helped me when my grandmother (who I was very close to) died. But if I apply this same homily to losing Mattie, it just doesn't work! There is no reason that Mattie should have died and it certainly wasn't his time. Someone who tells me it is, just doesn't get it! Fortunately Father Jim did not spout off any of these platitudes because I probably would have leaped out of the pew. Yet was it really Janet's time to die? She is leaving behind a husband and 12 year old child! I don't know, and I will leave it at that.
After the mass today, I jumped into my car to pick up the catered food trays for the family for their luncheon reception at their home. I really tried to get the food as quickly as possible, in order to set it up before people arrived at their home. However, what I wasn't counting on was having dialogues with people at the store where I was picking up the trays. Both people worked for the store. One woman, seemed besides herself. She was working, but was running a fever and was feeling miserable. She started talking to me about the grey weather yesterday and how this depresses her. One thing led to another and she followed me throughout the store. She then asked what my profession was, when I told her, she asked if I would be her therapist. Cute no? I told her I wasn't actively practicing. With that she asked if I would come to the store again because she looks forward to seeing me, because she considers me an angel. I suppose an angel because I listened to her and gave her the time of day. That is another problem in our world, no one has time for anyone or anything.
When I finished talking to this woman, another store employee got a hold of me and he started talking to me. I honestly wasn't sure I was ever going to get out of the store this afternoon! But it all worked out well. This fellow said that he couldn't pass up the opportunity to talk to a beautiful lady! I told him flattery always works with me!
http://www.everlywheatley.com/obituaries/Janet-Marie-Popowitz-5702532948/#!/PhotosVideos/00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001/TributeVideo
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