Smiling Through the Hurricane

You've heard the old adage, "When it rains, it pours." Well, it's been a regular hurricane here at my house. Teen trouble, investment crises, knee surgery (husband's, not mine), pregnancy worries (mine, not husband's), and a barrage of other little irritations have made life interesting, to say the least. However, through it all I manage to keep a smile on my face. How can I do otherwise, with four children who constantly remind me that life is intended to be enjoyed?

My 10-year-old, Marc, is known for his Jim Carrey-like antics. Walking into walls, making faces, doing voice impersonations, and cracking stupid jokes are just a few of the pranks in his constantly changing arsenal. One of his favorite tricks is falling down the stairs. (Think Saturday Night Live's Chevy Chase.) He does it several times a week. I'll hear the bump bump bump, and while his grandparents come running to see if he's survived, I'll just keep my nose buried in my book. I'm sure my in-laws think I'm a terrible mother.

The other day I was working at the computer and Marc decided to go downstairs to play video games. He dashed down the hall and suddenly I heard him scream out in pain followed by a whole string of bumps. For a moment I thought, "Oh my gosh! He's really done it this time. He's really fallen and has broken his neck!" Despite my fear and that sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach - the feeling we mother's get when we think our children have injured themselves - I remained in my seat.

The silence that followed was ominous, but still I stayed at my post. Finally, about fifteen minutes later, I stood up and casually strolled to the top of the stairs. Directly below me on the landing was Marc lying face down on the carpet, eyes closed, his arms and legs sprawled out in every strange, twisted direction possible. I took in the scene and with one breath said, "Marc, are you going to lay there all day?"

Suddenly, the mischevious grin I know and love so well magically appeared on his freckled face. He opened one eye and glanced up at me as if to say, "Aw, didn't I fool you that time?" Then a second later he was up and jumping down the remaining steps to play.

It's moments like these that make all the hard stuff worth while.