Memorable

Friday night was my dad's side of the family Independence Day celebration. We always try to move it around to accomidate as many as possible. This year we wanted to make sure my "little" brother was going to be there (he works Sat., Sun., and Mon. nights). We were having a great time. One of Grandma's cousins was there which Dad hadn't seen in over 30 years. Dad went over board on fireworks even more than usual this year. Probably to celebrate his indepence from children as this is his first in 33 years that he hasn't had at least one child living at home. On the finale round of fireworks, all the "boys" got in close to light the massive round of boxes that held the fireworks. They'd all read the directions, including my brother. When Matthew (that's my "little" brother) leaned into light his "box," the aerial shell blasted out of the box, and into his forehead and one skimmed the side of his face and his right ear. He was thrown to the ground. I was standing on the deck; then I was running. He got up holding his head and the side of his face. When he got into the light, we all could see that he had black powder all over his face and the hugest goose egg anyone had ever seen in the middle of his forehead. Hugest. He was bleeding just a little on the side of his face. That was pretty much the end of my good mood for the evening.

Madeline and I went home late. Got to sleep late. Woke up late. I awoke at about 9:30 to my phone ringing. It was my older brother. "Sorry to wake you." That's not a good thing to hear first thing in the morning. "Mom tried to out-do Matthew this morning."

"What?!"

"Well, I guess Mom was walking down the stairs into the kitchen this morning, she fell and broke her left leg. Pretty bad. Mom and Dad are at the hospital right now."

I was still thinking that this was a dream, in my non-wakeful state.

But it's all true. Cross my heart. Mom had surgery on Saturday afternoon. 6 screws and one plate in her leg right about her ankle. She's on crutches and moving a little slow, but okay.

Both of these happenings could have been worse. We're counting our blessings.