{this week}

(photo taken by Maverick's mommy)

This week…It’s been a little slow on the blog

I haven’t had the words sorted out to make a post here….from my thoughts… or the ability to just sit and type them all out. (see…that didn’t make sense).

Let me start again...

Monday, My girlfriend Dovie and I paid a visit to OU Children’s Medical Center to visit our little fighter Maverick (and his momma…one of "the girls" ...our friend Juli)…. You might remember them from THIS post. He was born in September with a heart defect and has since undergone many operations and procedures. He wasn’t feeling so hot after a failed attempt at a heart catheter.

Tuesday & Wednesday were a blur…they were confusing and rushed…and…

Last night, after driving home from an evening shoot in Edmond I was soooo tired. I walked in the door just in time to snuggle with “sparkly J” and “si guy” …and say prayers… and put them to bed. Then I examined the kitchen for fear that I’d have a huge mess to clean up from dinner because when I phoned to tell Mr. Quinn I was on my way home he let me know he had made sloppy joes for dinner…and well..sloppy joes…well, they are just sloppy. But to my delight Mr. Quinn had cleaned the kitchen! (He’s an amazing man, that one.) So, I crashed on the couch…I was so tired. But for the next 20 minutes I heard “MOMMA!…” and then I’d go to the kiddos room….and they’d say…”Can you tuck me in again?“
And so, I tucked them in again…..and again……and again…and again and then…after their third drink of water…I TUCKED THEM IN AGAIN. Until finally they drifted off to dreamland. An evening that would normally have me at my very last wits made me snicker…in fact, I indulged them a few times with an extra little tuck and a peck on the cheek…or a tickle under the chin and a secret whisper in their ears…

This morning, “Sparkly J” begged me to wear her bright red, sparkly, sandals…the ones that look like a summer version of Dorothys from the Wizard of Oz. I told her “NO way!..It’s cold outside and your toes will get frostbite…now go on and find another pair of shoes…and get a move on.” To which she replied..”well. I’m gonna need socks then (huff!)” I gave her a pair of socks and she marched off only to be seen again as we were heading out the door to school. I quickly glanced down and my eyes bulged with the sight of her little defiance….it was a sight to see....socked piggies bulged out of the open toed, Dorothy from the Wizard of OZ, sparkly, ,summer sandals!!! She smiled…cocked her head…and said “my toes are soooo warm!” I started to…but then I thought…maybe I‘ll…and then… I let it slide….and grabbed her hand and walked to the car to head off to school…smiling...

This afternoon, I sat with “the girls” (and some of “the husbands”) as we witnessed our friend Juli stand beside her husband Greg as he picked up the tinniest little casket I have ever seen ….and then side by side they walked as he carried their baby boy out of the church to the car that would take them all to the cemetery…

Today, I watched as my friend said her last goodbyes to her tiny “fighter”…

This week, I was taught a huge lesson. from a tiny baby boy….Maverick was a fighter….he fought so hard to live….and though I never heard him make a sound…. due to his ventilator …his message is loud and clear.

He tells me this…LIVE!… Live everyday to the fullest don‘t take even one second for granted…each one of them is a gift. Don’t sweat the small stuff…(does it really matter what shoes “sparkly J“ wears to school)?. Be more patient …be more forgiving...more appreciative ….be thankful….that we have each other…and we have healthy, happy and loved children to gently kiss and tuck into bed each night…..(sometimes five or six times a night)…

Sweet, sweet little man Maverick, you have changed my life…
Just as you have touched the lives of so many others…
And let me just say… It is an honor to have been in your presence…however so brief it was.

….and don’t worry….”the girls” and I will look after your mommy.

GODSPEED LITTLE MAN!

If you would like to read all about baby Maverick you can find his mommy's blog here : www.babymaverick.blogspot.com