...And They're Off...

You know. It's an expression "they" use at the horse races. Yeah, actually, I've never been to any horse race in person. Yeah. And honestly when we rented the DVD of that "wonderful" Seabiscuit movie, I fell asleep in the middle (more like after the first few scenes) of it since we had Bitty Twins who were maybe a year old, making sleep in short supply, very fleeting at best, and an uncontrollable consequence every time I sat for longer than 15 minutes. Having said all that, I (of course as a little girl) love National Velvet with Liz Taylor (of course on TV as a movie special - I am only 38 years old) on which I base my familiarity with the saying, "...And they're off..." Ha!

Well? Yes, hang in there with me on this one. "...And they're off..." Some of you with kids started back to school this past week; although, we started three weeks ago. Anyway, I heard that some mommies had tears (and some weeping as my neighbor described his wife) as their youngest bolted through the starting gate. And in some cases, mommies cried as they lovingly pushed their youngest needing physical encouragement (or really booted the kid to the curb as my friend put it) into the starting gates. Each new student beginning the twelve year race towards getting an education, starting with the gate of kindergarten. "...And they're off..." It signifies the beginning of football season, which Cam's music therapist refers to as "the best time of the year!" She attended the lesser texas university, which to no great importance has won a couple of national titles in recent years. "...And they're off..." It also describes the life of Ethan's new third grade teacher as she begins her first year at CCA, back to teaching after a hiatus of having some kids -she has five total. Hmph. Anyway, I can imagine that her alarm clock each morning sounds much like the firing of a gun startling the horse and her jockey and signaling the beginning of the daily race to balance a new job, home, five active children's schedules, and a supportive husband.

What does the saying signify to us? There is significance for us, too, just in a different way from the others. "...And they're off.." You know our youngest are twins. And although Twin A has begun first grade, Twin B remains home with me a second year to home school, to go to therapy, and to visit doctors. Honestly, my tears are from the bitter-sweet that comes from having twins whose paths are no longer on the same race track that the two had shared. The bitter-sweet comes from one healthy twin beginning her race with a much different pace from her twin brother whose pace has been slowed by verbal apraxia, tethered cord syndrome and possible brain damage. "...And they're off..." As Autumn approaches, football season leads to cold and flu season threatening the health of our Aly as her immune system tries to fight and struggles to win, much like our beloved Aggies during recent failures to recover the glory of a winning football season. Thus, it also marks for us at the end October the season of isolation as we try to protect Aly's very life by keeping her quarantined at home until February. "...And they're off..." It also describes the firing of my alarm clock "gun" each morning as I sprint out of bed in a race to balance my life which is why I might understand the fatigue Ethan's new teacher has from her race. Only my fatigue is from a very different race as I try to balance the reality of doctor's, medicines, medical testing, nurses, therapy, school district, teachers, medical bills, insurance company, illnesses, and disabilities with the normalcy of home, home school, five children's very active schedules, and a supportive husband.


"...And they're off..." Can't we all identify with this saying as we look into our lives as a race that each of us yearns to win?


...And let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1&2


We may have different race tracks, we might have different paces and speeds, but we can all be first place winners at the end of the race! "...And they're off..." Oh! Just to be in the winner's circle with the Author of life, the Savior of life, and the Sustainor of life is motivation for me to finish the race!


"...And they're off..." Help us endure the next "leg" of our race by encouraging us with your cheers, your prayers, as we embark on another month-long track filled with doctors appointments, medical testing, and diagnosis seeking/treating. Early this week Cam sees the neurologist, and later in the week Cam will be sedated for the Level T3 MRI at Medical City. We will schedule Cam for an EEG (testing for seizure activity) while Aly also may need additional testing this month yet to be determined by doctors. Each week in September, Aly visits with a specialist: orthopedist, cardiologist, neurologist, and endocrinologist. Our hope is to win the race, but we have to finish this and possibly many more race tracks before getting the blue ribbon. Thank you in advance for your encouragement, and we'll update at each of the "water stations" as we stop to get a drink and a quick rest. M&R7