I hate fake eggs and the containers they come in! I decided this earlier this week when those damn fake eggs made my family and I have a really bad night. I am blaming the fake eggs and the containers they come in because I refuse to let ALS take any credit for messing thing up! This time it was difficult to turn a negative to a positive, but we did it!
Ever have one of those days, one where when you get home from work it seems like there is just more work? Well, that is the kind of day I had and I was not in the mood for people (and by people I mean my husband and kids) who didn’t empty dishwashers or throw trash away from whatever they were doing or cooked in the microwave without a paper towel leaving it to look like there was an explosion. I was generally annoyed at the fact that my house had the appearance of a frat house when I came home. I was a little grumpy, I’ll admit it, I am still human. I nagged about the house work and no one really listened to me, they usually ignore my nagging. Later, Sophia and I decided we wanted egg sandwiches for dinner. No one makes egg sandwiches better than Bert so he was volunteered to make them. Sophia and I were in the living room when Bert brought me the fake eggs to open for him. I cracked the seal on the lid, started the cap and handed it back to him saying I think you should be able to get it now. Well, he still couldn’t get it so he angrily went back into the kitchen; I jumped up to follow and said I’ll do it, too late. Right then I wished I had a do over, I wished I had just taken the cap all the way off and made no comment, because none was needed. I hadn’t realized the struggle that occurred before he asked me to take the cap off those damn fake eggs.
Bert was upset and it escalated until Alex came up from the xbox to see if everything was alright (those of you who know us know that if Alex comes up from the xbox something must be going on). We never did eat those egg sandwiches that night. ALS makes everything hard and I mean that physically, emotionally and in every way for everyone! The person who has ALS is struggling with what they are able to still do and attempting to accept what they cannot do, in the beginning that is hard because they are still trying and sometimes succeeding. Independence is not lost all at once. Bert is actually still really good with his hands and opening things; he does well when the cap is positioned so that he can use his whole hand rather than just the tips of his fingers. He will be annoyed if I open things for him that he still can open. Family members of people with ALS are trying to tiptoe around what they should and should not help with while still giving their loved one the independence they deserve. At first I told Alex and Sophia everything was ok, and to leave the room, then when they came to check again, I just let them be with Bert. Bert was sitting on a chair in the kitchen and Alex knelt down in front of him and told him everything would be alright. Alex asked what had happened and Bert said “mom punched me” and everyone burst out into laughter. I am always the brunt of all family jokes as the three of them regularly gang up on me. I of course had NOT punched anyone…but was glad for some amusement at this point and relieved that at least ALS can’t take a sense of humor. Sophia gave Bert a little shoulder massage and we all talked about how it’s frustrating if you could always open fake eggs and now you can’t. We also talked about how ALS makes people laugh or cry more easily…we decided we were ok with the laughing part even if it was at inappropriate times because that could make it even funnier, no one really liked the frustration or crying part. We decided to throw the half made egg sandwiches out.
Sophia and Bert went out to pick up Arby’s for dinner. Alex and I sat on the chair together watching Monster’s University and talking. He wanted to know what had happened to make his dad upset. I explained about the fake egg container and I said I should have just opened it all the way. Alex asked if I meant he had trouble opening the little cap on the carton and I said yes, he said “geeze mom that is a hard cap to open anyway.” He is right, it is a little hard. I told him I should have opened it all the way, and that I should not have made the comment that he could probably do it now after I started the cap. I told Alex I wished I had a do over and he said “just say sorry mom.” Alex and I also decided we hate fake eggs, Alex said they have no taste and I agreed, we decided from now on only “real” eggs in our house that can crack very easily and taste better! When Bert got home I did say sorry, I texted it to him at first and he texted me back “U should not have hit me”:) but then I said it and we talked. I was sorry for not just opening the fake eggs, I was sorry for nagging when I got home, I was sorry for being grumpy, I was just sorry. Bert forgave me. So…what you may ask was the negative to a positive in this situation…well, I think it’s evident what the negative was, but the positive…well the positive was that my family grows closer every day, we take the time to communicate truthfully with each other. My children while they are only 9 and 11 years old have input and opinions on how we should handle problems and it is good input. We support each other and it carries over into many other things, it’s not just about ALS; these little bumps in the road are only one tiny part of a week or a month, we communicate about school, T. V., the weather, sports, friends, Instagram, video games, vacations, food, and many other things that everyday life brings. We say sorry and we forgive. My children know its ok to make mistakes and say you’re sorry. They know that Bert and I love each other and love them. We do not take communication for granted, we say how we feel and we never leave each other without an I love you and a kiss. My family laughs a lot, even if it is mostly at my expense and we ate yummy Arby’s food together as a family watching Monster’s University. ALS may have made us ban fake eggs from our house but it won’t take away a great egg sandwich made from “real eggs”, pile on the bacon please.
Later that night Bert and I were relaxing drinking an Angry Orchard and talking about life when Sophia came into the kitchen and announced she wanted a parakeet…she felt she deserved a parakeet because Alex gets everything he wants and she of course gets nothing. Bert and I looked at each other…thank God we thought for giving our family strength and not allowing ALS to win.
FAMILY ~ we may not have it all together, but together we have it all.
xoxo Jennifer
Ever have one of those days, one where when you get home from work it seems like there is just more work? Well, that is the kind of day I had and I was not in the mood for people (and by people I mean my husband and kids) who didn’t empty dishwashers or throw trash away from whatever they were doing or cooked in the microwave without a paper towel leaving it to look like there was an explosion. I was generally annoyed at the fact that my house had the appearance of a frat house when I came home. I was a little grumpy, I’ll admit it, I am still human. I nagged about the house work and no one really listened to me, they usually ignore my nagging. Later, Sophia and I decided we wanted egg sandwiches for dinner. No one makes egg sandwiches better than Bert so he was volunteered to make them. Sophia and I were in the living room when Bert brought me the fake eggs to open for him. I cracked the seal on the lid, started the cap and handed it back to him saying I think you should be able to get it now. Well, he still couldn’t get it so he angrily went back into the kitchen; I jumped up to follow and said I’ll do it, too late. Right then I wished I had a do over, I wished I had just taken the cap all the way off and made no comment, because none was needed. I hadn’t realized the struggle that occurred before he asked me to take the cap off those damn fake eggs.
Bert was upset and it escalated until Alex came up from the xbox to see if everything was alright (those of you who know us know that if Alex comes up from the xbox something must be going on). We never did eat those egg sandwiches that night. ALS makes everything hard and I mean that physically, emotionally and in every way for everyone! The person who has ALS is struggling with what they are able to still do and attempting to accept what they cannot do, in the beginning that is hard because they are still trying and sometimes succeeding. Independence is not lost all at once. Bert is actually still really good with his hands and opening things; he does well when the cap is positioned so that he can use his whole hand rather than just the tips of his fingers. He will be annoyed if I open things for him that he still can open. Family members of people with ALS are trying to tiptoe around what they should and should not help with while still giving their loved one the independence they deserve. At first I told Alex and Sophia everything was ok, and to leave the room, then when they came to check again, I just let them be with Bert. Bert was sitting on a chair in the kitchen and Alex knelt down in front of him and told him everything would be alright. Alex asked what had happened and Bert said “mom punched me” and everyone burst out into laughter. I am always the brunt of all family jokes as the three of them regularly gang up on me. I of course had NOT punched anyone…but was glad for some amusement at this point and relieved that at least ALS can’t take a sense of humor. Sophia gave Bert a little shoulder massage and we all talked about how it’s frustrating if you could always open fake eggs and now you can’t. We also talked about how ALS makes people laugh or cry more easily…we decided we were ok with the laughing part even if it was at inappropriate times because that could make it even funnier, no one really liked the frustration or crying part. We decided to throw the half made egg sandwiches out.
Sophia and Bert went out to pick up Arby’s for dinner. Alex and I sat on the chair together watching Monster’s University and talking. He wanted to know what had happened to make his dad upset. I explained about the fake egg container and I said I should have just opened it all the way. Alex asked if I meant he had trouble opening the little cap on the carton and I said yes, he said “geeze mom that is a hard cap to open anyway.” He is right, it is a little hard. I told him I should have opened it all the way, and that I should not have made the comment that he could probably do it now after I started the cap. I told Alex I wished I had a do over and he said “just say sorry mom.” Alex and I also decided we hate fake eggs, Alex said they have no taste and I agreed, we decided from now on only “real” eggs in our house that can crack very easily and taste better! When Bert got home I did say sorry, I texted it to him at first and he texted me back “U should not have hit me”:) but then I said it and we talked. I was sorry for not just opening the fake eggs, I was sorry for nagging when I got home, I was sorry for being grumpy, I was just sorry. Bert forgave me. So…what you may ask was the negative to a positive in this situation…well, I think it’s evident what the negative was, but the positive…well the positive was that my family grows closer every day, we take the time to communicate truthfully with each other. My children while they are only 9 and 11 years old have input and opinions on how we should handle problems and it is good input. We support each other and it carries over into many other things, it’s not just about ALS; these little bumps in the road are only one tiny part of a week or a month, we communicate about school, T. V., the weather, sports, friends, Instagram, video games, vacations, food, and many other things that everyday life brings. We say sorry and we forgive. My children know its ok to make mistakes and say you’re sorry. They know that Bert and I love each other and love them. We do not take communication for granted, we say how we feel and we never leave each other without an I love you and a kiss. My family laughs a lot, even if it is mostly at my expense and we ate yummy Arby’s food together as a family watching Monster’s University. ALS may have made us ban fake eggs from our house but it won’t take away a great egg sandwich made from “real eggs”, pile on the bacon please.
Later that night Bert and I were relaxing drinking an Angry Orchard and talking about life when Sophia came into the kitchen and announced she wanted a parakeet…she felt she deserved a parakeet because Alex gets everything he wants and she of course gets nothing. Bert and I looked at each other…thank God we thought for giving our family strength and not allowing ALS to win.
FAMILY ~ we may not have it all together, but together we have it all.
xoxo Jennifer
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