Happy Thanksgiving

Last night was a night from the book of Job. (Job – in the Bible)

The only difference was with Job's resume. I was neither "blameless nor upright" but I did "fear God and tried to shun evil". But that was it. It was Thanksgiving weekend and Melissa who is my Down's syndrome daughter was home for her visit and inoculated with Christmas madness over the visit of her sister Diane and family.

It was hard to keep her spirits in tow; she threw hugs and kisses all over the place. All afternoon. But neither Santa nor Christmas presents appeared. And when her sister and family left for home, Melissa was clearly upset; her timetable must be off kilter. What had happened to Christmas? Even the turkey dinner transported by Diane and Ron was refused.

Melissa then decided to pack and unpack her suitcase as she marched around the house wheeling her precious cargo of noisy plastic hangers in the bottom. She would not let me near either of these. I bit my lip and we made it until eight o'clock. At that point I decided to put an end to our cold war by announcing cheerfully, "BED TIME!" It was dark outside but there was no rest in sight, so I firmly announced that I was going to sleep with Melissa. I tried to make it sound like fun but that announcement was greeted with disdain. She allowed me little room in her bed; however I managed to get both legs up in time to grab a pillow.

It was like Times Square in her bedroom and I begged her (I did) to unplug the twinkly lights so we could sleep. For some unknown reason she obliged and got up. Into her suitcase they were carefully squashed on the bottom next to the plastic hangers. That little maneuver took about 45 minutes for then her night lights had to be found and plugged in. We again approached Morpheus. But I knew the truth that no sleep was available that night on her turf. Now was the time for Mommy's room.

I grabbed her American Girl doll and her dog-eared playing cards and stalked out of her room saying,"They're in my bed, Melissa. Hurry up now."

Well, she did not hurry but made it eventually into my king-sized bed. Well I dropped off immediately. But almost one hour later, I awoke in horror to discover she was not there. I found her seated on the floor in her bedroom packing again the things that she had somehow left behind. It's a virtue to know when to surrender. "C'mon Melissa, let's you and I have a party." We broke open the cookies and chips, set my computer on the edge of my desk and watched The Fox and The Hound on Net Flix until 3:30 am and Rudolph and some other Santa silliness until we were both bleary- eyed. It was now 4:30 am when we finally retreated to our beds again.

I decided then and there not to try to sleep but just in case she roamed I parked my walker outside her bedroom door. All seemed to be quiet as I crept into the living room with a glass of grape juice and the latest catalogs.

Moments later, I had overturned the entire glass all over the window sill and grey-white carpet. I sat there watching the red stain drip down the wall as I tried to tell myself it was only grape juice. I prayed," God I know what is happening here, and I know You will not let me be tempted beyond my ability to go through it with You victoriously. Help me not to lose it God."

I think I fell asleep praying.