As I type, my mother is in surgery back home.

The doctors are trying to hammer, nail, pin & plate her shattered radius back together.

(That would be the big bone in her arm, in this case her right arm – her bad arm.)

That’s because a year before Eric & I met, my mother had a stroke that left her right-side mobility significantly diminished – so any injuries to the left side aren’t good.

And being so far away from home on days like today can be almost unbearable.

You just can’t imagine the guilt that comes with living half-way around the globe leaving your sister to handle all the major & minor emergencies – not being able to be there for your mom.

[wiping away tears]

So when times like these come around, I find myself looking through the few old family photos I have that I scanned into my computer.

These three always make me smile….and I’ll tell you why.

 

It’s circa 1975….when polyester is king, Captain & Tennille have the number one hit ‘Love Will Keep Us Together’ and my favorite things in the world are puppies & Rocky Road ice cream.

[smile for the camera!...click]

Ahh…the loving family.

There’s me, in the back, the smart-alec tomboy with the pug nose & pixie haircut because Mom hated brushing out my curls…

Erin, my sister, the cute flirty one trying to show a big too much thigh for the camera just to see if she can get away with it…

My Dad, with the ‘can we just get this thing done’ look on his face…

And Mom, with her ‘why did I think this would be a good idea’ smile.

[ok, this time everyone look at the camera - big smiles!...click]

Hmm…well, I obviously must be daydreaming about Rocky Road ice cream or puppies - after all, they were my favorite things in the world.

The flirt has gone completely out of Erin to be replaced with staunch, good Christian propriety & a penitent pouty face.

(I think Mom fussed at her.)

Dad…with out-stretched tongue…who obviously heard me rambling on about how good some Baskin Robbins Rocky Road ice cream would be right about now.

And Mom…with the ‘oh, if you all don’t straighten up right now you’re going to get it’ face packaged perfectly behind her sly smile.

[ok, one last time...let's everyone look at the camera...BIG SMILES!....'click']

SUCCESS!

Well, sorta.

I’m smugly savoring the victory of having just tricked Mom & Dad into taking us to Baskin Robbins after this…and in realizing how all-powerful I am, am trying to figure out a way to use my powers to get a puppy.

Erin with the almost smiling, but hopeful face  is starting to think about the Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream (her favorite thing in the world) she’s going to get if she keeps her skirt down.

Dad who has realized how much film the photographer has burned up & is calculating the cost plus the cost of ice cream and is vowing to never take another family picture.

And Mom…who’s gone from frustration to desperation in the span of 2 minutes praying to God that this one turns out so she can escape this yet another embarrassing family moment with some kind of dignity intact.

 

It makes me smile.