A Heavy Heart

I just realized I haven't posted in almost a week.  A week?  Really?  I've been here.  Didn't really mean to go all stealthy on y'all.  


Hope you all had a great holiday weekend.  The boys had plans Saturday so Charlie and I went to see The Hangover 2.  I really, really wanted to see Bridesmaids but it was showing at weird times.  One was too late for us to get back and get the boys at a decent hour and the other was too early for me to have time to put my closet back in some sort of acceptable order.  


Not that it was in any kind of decent order to begin with but I dove in there head first Saturday afternoon and attempted to find the floor.  And I am happy to report that I found it and that once again, my shoes are all aligned in proper formation and all my shirts are on one side and all my skirts, pants, shorts and dresses are on the other.  


I give it about two weeks like that. Apparently too much organization makes me nervous or uncomfortable.  Or something.  But at least I know when to say when.  


Yesterday we had some family over for a cookout.  And while we did cook "out", we ate "in" because the temps. have already reached the 90's here in these parts which makes it a tad bit uncomfortable to sit on a sunny deck and eat.  I don't know about y'all but I prefer to not have sweat rolling down my neck and back when I'm trying to eat my grilled chicken sandwich.  


Spring seems to last for about 15 minutes around here and then we're all complaining that it's too hot.  Summer... It's a love/hate relationship.  


Speaking of relationships, I have had a heavy heart since Sunday afternoon for a longtime friend of mine. I received a phone call from a mutual friend Sunday that my good friend, Shirley, found out last week that she has a brain tumor.  She had not had any symptoms until one day last week while at a store, she became disoriented and lost temporary function of her fingers.  


She somehow made it home, went to the doctor, had an MRI and was diagnosed with a brain tumor.  Just like that.  


I met Shirley about 11 and a half years ago.  I had recently bought into my friend Dana's florist.  It was around Christmastime, Dana was pregnant and out sick with a migraine and I was left alone with 5 month old Devin and about 25 funeral orders to man the shop on my own.  Needless to say, I was in over my head.  


We had met and talked with Shirley the week before about coming on to help us with deliveries and to assist with taking orders in the shop.  She wasn't supposed to start until the next week but I was desperate.  I dug her phone number out, called her and practically begged her to start immediately!  


She was there within minutes, loading her little car down (because to top it all off the van was in the shop!) with funeral arrangements, dozens of roses and a big bouquet of balloons making it impossible for her to see out her rear window and did it all with a smile on her face.  She literally saved the day.  


Shirley is one of those people who is always thinking up ways to help someone else and she was there for me during my darkest days of grief after losing Darin.  She would just show up with a smile and start cleaning my house, doing my laundry and playing a game of Candyland or Chutes and Ladders with the boys.  


I was just telling Charlie the other night that I needed to call her and see how she and her husband were doing since she had not made it to any of the boys' baseball games this year and they are almost over. Very unlike Shirley.  


She had an appointment today at Duke Medical Center and was told to be prepared to stay.  I'm not even sure what that means.  I just ask you all to please say a prayer for her. 


Thanks and have a blessed day,