Background:  A couple of years ago a very good friend of PW’s had his first baby, a boy.  A few weeks before he was born his mama was admitted to the hospital because she was having a case of pancreatitis.  So, she laid for a couple of weeks under medical care waiting to go home.  She ended up having her stomach turn, having an emergency c-section followed by emergency surgery to save her stomach and her life.  All turned out perfect in the very long run, thank God for that.

This year they both decided to have another child.  It was not an easy decision.  They knew there were risks of aggravating the stomach issues among other things.  But the desire to have a child was strong, so they got pregnant.  Aside from a few small set backs here and there, everything went fine.

On Friday, their family was blessed with a beautiful baby girl.  The news of her birth is thrilling to all of us.  The perfect family; a boy and a girl.

This morning I received a call from the very proud daddy, with some distressing news.  The precious little baby girl started having seizures 12 hours after her birth.  She’s had every test and they’ve found nothing.  She was transferred, away from her mama, to Children’s hospital for monitoring.  She’s medicated and we are all praying she will be fine.

It seems to me that after such a seriously complicated first birth and second pregnancy, that they should get a break.  They should be able to enjoy their little girl the way they are supposed to.  Instead, as her mama celebrates her own birthday today, her newborn baby girl is away from her in another hospital, medicated and without her.  Sometimes the little steps back just seem so incredibly unfair and heartbreaking.  

(if you are so inclined please say a hearty prayer for little Fredrica, she could use it.)

Background: This summer a friend found out her husband loves her but isn’t in love with her.  Basically, he’s found his soulmate in a 23 year old bartender.   (can you say mid life crisis?)

It’s the same story I’ve heard over and over again in the past few years.  OK, it’s not always the same story, but man, they sure do resemble each other, a lot.  I guess for those left behind they need to understand the mid life crisis in order to understand what has happened in their little world, because most of the time it comes as a fairly big shockaroo.

Probably one of the most devastating elements of this kind of separation of families is that often times, even though it isn’t said, the checked out spouse also loves the kids, but isn’t in love with them either, sadly.

On that note, today I celebrate 13 years of wonderful, happy, fun, loving marriage.  I know that when we celebrate 50 years together we will look back on these years of break ups during the mid life crisis and count our blessings.  For our blessings are many.