Thoughts and NKH Awareness Day.

This evening, I went to the grocery store after Jake got home. When I was leaving home, I looked at the clock: 8:45. I had time to run by the library before it closed at 9:00 to grab some books I had on reserve.  When I got back in the car, an old episode of This American Life was on NPR. The title of the show was Music Lessons. I caught part of the second act, and I stayed in my car for almost 10 minutes after I got to Whole Foods to finish listening to the third act. It was that good. Ann Lamott was telling a story of an airplane ride, and comparing it to miracles. In the middle of the airplane story, she talks about a miracle taking place at her church. It was very beautiful, and I think a good example of how we can all come into our own and into the "greater whole" through finding out how to care for and love others. You can listen to it here. The miracle at church story is probably somewhere near the middle of the third act called Knockin' on Heaven's Door, but the whole act is really fantastic.

My birthday is on Friday. I will be 28. This doesn't seem to be one of those super pause and reflect on the number I'm carrying around with me years. 27 was one of those. It was a no turning back year. I've been thinking about how my mom has randomly been with me on my birthday every year since 2007, but won't be here this year.

2007: College graduation (We graduated on Cinco de Mayo, two days after my birthday).
2008: Cora's blessing. My mom came back to help for two weeks (she came for three right after Cora was born) to fill the gap between me going back to work and Jake getting out of school for summer. At the end of the two weeks, we blessed Cora. Lots of family was here for the blessing. We went to Cattlemen's for dinner. I stood on the seat of our booth, while three booths of people I love sang me happy birthday. A kind stranger gave me ten dollars as he was leaving.
2009: Mom and Don both came to visit. I got sick in the middle of the their stay. Lots of barf.
2010: We lived in Chicago and they were there visiting.
2011: My great aunt and uncle passed away within a few days of one another, and their family held a memorial service for them when the weather warmed up, and it just happened to be a few days before my birthday. My Aunt Kristin, Uncle David, Grammy, and my little family ate dinner and went bowling.
2012: My mom came just for fun. She crazy spoiled me with all kinds of shopping. And a mani/pedi where I discovered my favorite nail color: Big Apple Red.
2013: My parents just started building a house. I guess it's okay to take a back seat. ;)

This year Jake has numerous rehearsals on the actual day so I don't think I'll really get to see him, and he's leaving REALLY early the day after to go to Nebraska for a Tuba conference. You read that right. Tuba conference. Nebraska. He'll be back REALLY late Saturday night - maybe early Sunday morning. Cora's dance recital is on Saturday, so it will be fun getting to and from the dress rehearsals and performances via bike trailer. (He's taking Olive - our car.)

Tonight I was thinking about my best friend from high school, Sarah Keller. She used to sometimes think the Burger King sign in our hometown (Apache Junction, AZ) was the moon. It really did look like the moon sometimes. I think the Devon Tower looks like the moon when the top is lit up. I'd love to sit and stargaze with her like we did one evening in the back of Trudy (her sister's truck). I'll love that night I spent with her for as long as I'm alive.

I registered for a class this summer and for a few more this fall. This summer I'm taking Human Anatomy and Physiology I, and this fall I'm taking Human Anatomy and Physiology II, Chem I, and Physics. I'm really excited. Not just because these classes were nowhere on the radar of an English major (what I was in college), but I think it will be fun to be in a formal learning setting again (minus the whole figuring out child care and what-not). I graduated from college in three years. Really, it was two-and-a-half because my last semester was student teaching. How? Major overload. I took 20+ hours some semesters. One semester, I had 13 papers left to write, and only 10 days before finals. It was kind of crazy, but it worked. I wanted to graduate the same time Jake did so we could go off and do his graduate work wherever that might be (he ended up getting his masters in Oklahoma!). I wish I would have taken more time, studied more things that I was interested in. I wanted to minor in photography and art history, but there wasn't enough time. I was also double majoring in education, so really, I didn't have many electives, especially in five semesters. I think it will be fun to see where these classes take me...or where I take these classes.

I'm also thinking about how May 2 is NKH (Non-ketotic Hyperglycinemia) Awareness Day. This disease affects less than 500 children worldwide, so there isn't a great deal of money going toward research. This is a shame. Researchers feel hopeful that it can be cured. And I say 500 children rather than people because NKH takes the lives of children before they're able to grow up. I've written about Ellie Kate McLaughlin before. She passed away right before Christmas at seven years old. It was a miracle that she lived so many years. NKH is a genetic disorder, and Ellie Kate's little sister, Lucy, also has it. Lucy is currently in the hospital, and just a few days ago took a very scary turn after surgery. She is doing much better, but the fact is, NKH will take her life as well. Lucy and Ellie Kate belong to an amazing family. Their parents fight for them. They also have two sons without the disorder, but they are greatly affected by having two sisters who have been so ill. While we may not be able to donate monetarily to the NKH cause, we can donate a little bit of time and educate ourselves about what some families are going through. We can lift these families, and all families with special needs up in prayer. Learn more about NKH by going here: NKH Crusaders.

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