Tonight's picture was taken on Halloween of 2007. That was the first year we did not make Mattie's costume. Instead, we went to a party store and picked this one out! Mattie wanted to be a Air Force pilot. I think Mattie was inspired after going to the Andrews Air Force Base to see the Thunderbirds air show. When we picked out the costume, it had Army patches on it. But keep in mind, Mattie was adamant about it being an Air Force pilot. Since one of my former students was a retired Air Force Lt. Colonel, she was able to send me some Air Force patches. Together, Mattie and I attached those patches to the uniform. Meanwhile, our neighbors in the city got Mattie the hat and sunglasses! He was all decked out and that year participated in his school's Halloween parade and of course went trick or treating with friends in the evening. It is hard to believe that the following Halloween, Mattie was dealing with cancer.
Quote of the day: Because memories cannot be erased, but we treasure them and they remain imprinted in our memory and marked with black ink on the white paper of a book. ~ Elena Ragazzoni
I did not get to sleep last night until around 1am and I got up at 5:45am. It is ironic that I once was a person who hated the mornings, and did not like getting up early. I can't say I love it now, but I am used to it! When I tell you it was a three ring circus today in my house, I am not kidding. Blanca, the lovely woman who has helped me clean my home since Mattie was diagnosed with cancer, came over today. In the past, I would have Blanca come over every two weeks. Now, I am just juggling too much, and I am lucky if I have here her once a month. Blanca's mother recently died and we chatted about that this morning, as she knows I am no stranger to loss.
It is very challenging having my dad home while Blanca is over, because I literally have to move my parents from one place to another in order to get them out of her way. In addition to Blanca, the contractors came over today to start the bathroom renovation. As a reminder, my mom flooded the bathroom in August, and it was a process of filing a home owner's insurance claim, getting the water remediated and cleaned out, and now of course the last stage. I have worked with this contractor in the spring, to fix the decaying portico over my front door. He was referred to me by my neighbors. In fact, he has worked long-term for many of my neighbors. Try over 15 years with some of them. He is a lovely, kind, and competent professional. He is very cognizant of my parents and is making sure nothing is lying around on the floor that they could trip over and is closing off and sealing certain locations in the house so their lungs aren't as impacted by fumes and dust.
To add to the mix, my dad's nurse visited today to do a wound check. In the midst of juggling all of this, the contractor evaluated all the products I bought for the bathroom. At first he was concerned that the vanity mirror I purchased was too big and wouldn't fit in the space, but once he opened the box, he said I was right, it is the perfect dimension! One for Vicki!
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