Why I Didn't Punch Life in the Face Last Night

Sometimes life gets really overwhelming. Sometimes you get fed up with being overwhelmed. Sometimes you just want to sock life in the face like a derby girl elbows her opponents, and tell him to stop messing with you, because you've had ENOUGH already! But you can't actually do that since life isn't an embodied form that you can deck in the face at will. Especially if you don't want to punch yourself/your own life. What stopped me from grabbing a box of Life cereal and reducing it to a blithering stack of sad crumbles? 

Teannka. Teannka stopped me. My youngest sister, and youngest sibling, Teannka.

Yesterday was one of those days. (And when did "one of those" come to mean something rather distateful, such as "one of those guys," or "one of those days," or "one of those cheeseburgers- you know, the kind where they gave you half a slice of cheese and absolutely no pickle"?) Nothing terrible happened. I was just rather unimpressed with my performance at living. And stressed about rescheduling a horrendous medical procedure that costs way more money than is probably practical. And stressed about needing that procedure. And stressed about stressing, which tends to aggravate and cause more stress.

And right when I'm about to go all haywire and beserker on everything, I get a text. It has been recreated here in its original spelling, punctuation, and grammar for your cooing pleasure:

"Dear Tashya I, love you so much I will be your friends.You make me Know all the princesses are pretty and are funny too as will.You make me know a little friends can make you happy.My favorite numbers are 2/4/6/8/10 but favorite two number of the princess all is 100 and 20.Small so I can see your small.I are happy. From your lovely Teannka Chelson."

My Teannka Chelson is lovely. She is my precious little sister, my darling little princess, and my very beloved little friend.  I'm so glad that I was able to teach her about all the princesses (Disney Princesses are very important, people!), and that princesses are funny as well as pretty. I'm glad that I was able to show her that just a few wonderful friends can help to make you happy. I'm glad she has favorite numbers so that she can play the Number/Color/Animal Game. I'm glad that she has learned to take joy in the smiles of other people.

And that little text from her, which took her quite some time to write out on Daddy's phone, made me smile. Not only was it exactly the right words that I was needing to cheer me, but it was at exactly the right time. I can't imagine a better or more efficacious way to be cheered at that moment.

Isn't she so adorable? That picture is from a few years ago when I was home from college for a break. Teannka (Baby) had three of her five older sisters dress up for a tea party. We raided Mama's pearl and jewel stash, as well as my own treasure chest of ball gowns and princess dresses. We also used Baby's awesome bright blue play makeup. Pinkies raised on our Beauty and the Beast/Cinderella tea cups, we sipped and feasted like the dainty princesses that we are. And gorged on cookies. I'll have to write a post sometime about the six Chelson girls and their princesses.

So after Teannka swooped in and put a giant grin on my face and a happy glow in my heart, Andrew saw the big break that he needed. He had been trying to console me since he'd gotten home from work, but I really don't like doctors, calling people, or medical procedures, and didn't feel like being cheered up at all (I make an exception for relatives or friends in the medical profession- I like you just fine). Poor Andrew. I sure was being difficult. But he saw his opportunity, and he seized it. What started as a miserable evening turned into one where we were laughing. Andrew made an executive decision that in order to help us drift off to sleep, we would snuggle and watch a good movie. In fact, one of the best movies.

That's right. The Sword in the Stone. The above gif is actually one of my favorite parts of the whole movie. Merlin is one of the best Disney characters ever created. And do you know what I learned lately? I heard that some people haven't seen it. Who hasn't seen this movie?! I mean, really? That's just ridiculous. I demand to know who you are so I can command you to forswear your evil ways and watch it. You better believe that I'm judging you. For your SEVERE lack of taste and judgement.

Andrew's idea worked, though. He got me cozied up and watched as I started to nod off. When my eyes were closed for long enough, he turned off the movie and carried me off to bed. Isn't he the sweetest husband? I really am so grateful to have a great man in my life to help me to keep from punching my life. I think that I'd be a bit black and blue by this point if it weren't for him!

I'm grateful for a lovely support network of family- Andrew, Baby, Mama, Megan- and friends- Tanney, Michele, Marcy, and Shannon. I really do feel so blessed. And blessings help to keep the punching to a minimum. But I wonder if I could get Andrew to do that Merlin thing with his beard... Now THAT would be a blessing of a good laugh! I think, however, that I shall allow the cranky old man to stay in the movie, and keep Andrew beardless out here with me.

NOTE: I've received a request for more Pictorials. I am pleased to announce that this has become a viable possibility once again due to the surfacing of a mouse. It's not my small cute rose pink mouse, but Andrew's larger gray and black mouse will do the trick for now. I just thought I'd let you know. Especially since I feel like I've betrayed my own artwork by having gifs and such on here. But it's not gone completely. I promise.

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