The Story of Us (Part 8), Life: In Love

Over the next two years the family struggled some. The little girl was head-strong and single minded. She was fast and agile, slippery and silly. The little boy was often frustrated and wished she had never been born. The boy and girl, while worn out from constant parenting, were still amazed by their children every day.

The boy's health worsened and he started to experience pain for the first time as a result of his MS. The boy got a cane, but did not like to use it, he felt self-conscious and seemed to be battling his body daily. The girl was tired and worried all the time, she did not know how to help the boy and her heart was full with sorrow.
What plagued the family most was the almost constant bickering and often out-right fighting between the boy and girl.
The boy constantly struggled with fatigue and a wish that he was still working. It was hard for him to completely enjoy being at home when his whole being cried out to be in the world working, providing, being the father he imagined he would be. But still. He did enjoy being with his children, he felt very lucky to share such an important part of their growth everyday. This sometimes caused him more pain, he felt guilt on those days he let his anger and hurt seep into his parenting, into the precious time he spent with the little girl and little boy.
Alongside the boy's struggles the girl had her own. When the boy was in pain the girl felt helpless. When the boy was sad, the girl felt helpless. When the boy was angry, the girl felt angry and frustrated. She wanted him to speak more kindly when he felt so much ugliness in him. She was not always patient, and was often demanding. She could not understand why he couldn't just focus his energy on what was good, what was wonderful in their life.
They hurt and they hurt each other.

Somehow the boy and girl got through this troubling time. They endeavored to restore happiness to the home and once more surround their children with harmony. They listened more and yelled less. They tried hard not be demanding and negative. They sat and talked in the evenings and remembered what it met, what it felt like to support each other.
Her sister began to bring them regular meals to try and bring some relief in the daily chores of life. Their mothers offered to help with childcare more and the girl's cousin picked the little girl up once a week for a play date that also gave the boy and the little boy and break. Everyone who knew and cared for the family offered help and support, and love and love and love.

The girl asked the boy to take more time for himself, to please take more care. She told him she would do anything needed if only he would ask. The boy began to ask, he began to pause, to lay down and relax when he needed. The little boy and little girl seemed to settle back into the delight of life, the boy and girl saw the change were grateful.

And now the boy and girl and the little boy and the little girl are continuing on, living and laughing and loving. They adore each other and relish each day. Sometimes the boy and the girl still fight; and most days the little boy and little girl push the wrong buttons, with each other and with the boy and the girl.

But still. The boy makes the girl laugh, and the girl rubs his back. And at least once a day they witness a tender moment between the little girl and little boy. They are a family, they are met for each other and that is enough, that is perfectly extraordinarily right. What A Wonderful World.

To The Boy
Happy 11th Anniversary
With love and immense admiration,
The Girl