As a cook, I know that quality ingredients make any recipe better. Just-picked greens from my garden, rich dark chocolate, farm-fresh eggs - anything you make will be substantially better because of the quality of what you put in. Of course, I know this. You know this, too. It’s a no brainer.
This not-so-revelatory observation took on new meaning to me as I found myself at the ER with my son and his shattered elbow this summer. You might think that as the mother of three boys, the ER would be my second home. But, no. At our July 3rd party, my middle son spectacularly shattered his elbow - our family’s first broken bone - as he plummeted off a bouncy house. After an epic ER visit, my son spent two painful days at home awaiting a long surgery, involving pins and a cast.
Looking back on this unexpected drama of last month, I am overcome with thankfulness at the people in my life who supported us through these rough days. Truly quality people - the absolute best.
Since my brain processes life as a recipe, and in homage to my “6 Under 6” motto, allow me to offer thanks to these six quality “ingredients” who enriched our lives during this challenging time.
The Healthy Stuff These are the people dedicated to my son’s health - the doctors who fixed my broken son and gave us peace of mind. Thank you to the friend who jumped in amongst the commotion and successfully pushed his elbow back into place (in the middle of our living room). Thank you to the friend who sat with us the entire night at the ER to study his x-rays with care. Thank you to our neighbor for checking on his elbow and handpicking the perfect doctor for his operation. And thank you to all of our doctor friends for talking, listening and answer my dozen dozens of questions. You are amazing.
The Cupboard Essentials Without these stalwart basics, all recipes fail. These are my loyal friends who are always on hand. As my husband and I rushed our son to the ER, you stayed after the party ended to spotlessly clean our house. You are the friends who don’t have to ask, “Where do you store the folding tables? Where do the extra chairs go?” You just know because you care. Thank you for always being there.
The Comfort Food These are the friends who speak your language - who know how much a warm dinner not only feeds your body but can feed your soul. Thank you for bringing us tasty meals and stocking our refrigerator so we didn’t have to worry about groceries and shopping - not only when we staggered home from the ER but also during the rough days before and after the surgery. Thank you for being your delicious selves.
The Desserts These are the friends who make your life sweeter and who delight in bringing joy. These friends filled our home - on an hourly basis - with candy, toys, balloons, cakes, brownies, cookies. (Imagine if Toy-R-Us produced a love child with a bakery, and you will have a slight glimpse of what my home looked like pre- and post-surgery). Thank you for showering my son with your yummy thoughtfulness.
The Beverages These are the friends who know your heart - the ones you have shared laughter and tears over cups of coffee. They are the ones who “get” the overwhelming anxiety and worry when our children - our precious, precious children - get hurt. You sent just the right message or called just at the perfect time, knowing just when the moments of maternal terror of sending my child to surgery would hit. Thank you for checking in on me, time and again. Thank you for your positive thoughts and prayers, especially during those difficult days.
The Bread of Life Of course, I’m talking about my family. You are the ones who sustain us with unconditional love and care. The tapestry of your love is woven together, stitch by stitch: ~ for taking our little one back to your house without a second’s thought and shielding him from seeing his brother in pain; ~ for faithfully waiting with us at the hospital throughout the wee hours of the night; ~ for taking care of our sweet dog during the holiday fireworks; ~ for finding just the perfect package of Legos; ~ for welcoming our dear patient home post-surgery with his favorite breaded chicken.
Update: Following a successful surgery, my son has a cast for six weeks. Once it is removed, the pins will be taken out, and then - thankfully - he should be ready to conquer the world again.
Karen Nochimowski is a mother of three rambunctious boys. Her children like different foods and constantly request a variety of things. Over time, she’s figured out a way to make dishes they all love by developing easy, quick recipes. That led to the creation of her blog, www.MommaChef.com. All of her recipes are simple and delicious, using no more than six ingredients and under six minutes of prep time.
Submitted August 13, 2017 at 02:29AM by TheMommaChef http://ift.tt/2uB1Rj1 Parenting
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