Good Enough

I recently turned…(drumroll please) 32.

My younger brother had his second scheduled boxing match the night of my birthday.

Let me back up for you. I do not like the sport of boxing. I do not like UFC. I do not understand how people can willingly put themselves in a position to get pummeled nor do I understand why they find pleasure in pummeling someone. It’s just something I can’t wrap my mind around.

I love my little brother as I love each one of my siblings. I told him his first fight went so well I would come to his next one. By Mr.Good’s description everything at the match was on the up and up. It was amateur boxing. Only three rounds, the ref’s gave standing 8 counts to anyone who was hit a little harder than normal.  There were even little kids boxing. It sounded very harmless to me.

So I decided I would go watch little brother box and afterwards we would celebrate his victory and my birthday all at once. (He’s so “the bomb” I couldn’t imagine him losing.)

(Especially since I told him he wasn’t allowed to lose on my birthday!)

(Talk about pressure!)

The night arrived. My sister and I were giddy and a little nauteous. Neither of us had seen him fight yet. His turn came after the intermission. No one earlier had anything bad happen to them. In fact I was getting bored. Then little bro came out in all his boxing attire and glory.

His supporters (the fam and I) stood up.

The first round was close. The opponent was shorter then Brother. I don’t know what constitutes as a point in boxing so it all looked even to me. The second round came and Brother took some hard hits. He was “rocked” as his coach put it. We could all tell he was hit really hard, and my little sister was cussing up a storm. I think if I wasn’t holding her hand she would have run up and attacked his opponent.

(Good Family History~there have been a few mosh pit fights where we all had to join in to defend a sibling.)

Before the third round started the Doctor on site came and checked Brother’s eyes with a flashlight. I knew something was up. But when the third fight started Brother came out brawling. He fought with so much energy and gusto I knew he was going to be alright…that is until the fight was over and done with.

They called the fight. Little bro lost. They handed him a metal. He went back to his team corner and took off his head gear. (More Good family history~we’re all bad losers. We HATE losing) So none of us knew if we could approach him or not. My vote was to let him have a few moments to collect his thoughts and stew. Then curiosity got the better of us women folk and we had to go to him.

With his gear off he looked vulnerable and sad. His eyes were bloodshot and there was a cut over his left eye. He looked at me. “I’m sorry I lost on your birthday.”

I kind of laughed. Silly Brother. Not that the situation was funny, but I really didn’t care that he lost. I was still proud of him.

He asked if I would come to his next fight. How could I refuse?

Later as the night wore on the birthday celebration wasn’t quite what I thought it would be. Brother was looking horrible before we ordered dinner. He was in a lot of pain. I convinced him to go home. To make a long story short, about a week and a half later he had surgery for a fractured cheek bone, and his eye socket was basically shattered. He now has a titanium cheek and a plastic piece holding his eye up. And he WAS WEARING HEAD GEAR during the fight.

Boxing is not for the faint of heart. I have a faint heart. I don’t want Brother to box anymore. But he says he can’t go out like that and hopes to fight again in January.

Can I get a WHAT? WHAT? 

and…I’m back!

Yes our server caught a nasty virus this weekend. It was really scary for my husband who has his work website on with the same company.  I began to wonder what would happen if we were left high and dry? What about all of his pictures? And e-mail? How can we retrieve it? It left us feeling quite vulnerable. Is there a way to forward e-mails when one server goes ka-put? Neither of us have any idea but are wanting some sort of backup plan.

It’s stormy and dark today in the Northwest. I shouldn’t be complaining. We’ve had a relatively nice transition into Autumn, but when the weather turns dark so does my mood. I find myself wanting to stay in bed and read. Or watch TV which we don’t have anymore. I feel like the weather is bringing everyone down. My 3 month old has been crying intermittently for no apparent reason. My 4 year old came home from a friends house crying, and she didn’t stop for 2 hours. I felt really bad putting her in her room but I didn’t know how to deal with her.  I told her she needed a nap. Instead she decided to yell at me through the door for a good part of the hour.

If someone stuck me in my room and told me to take a nap, I wouldn’t argue. In fact I’d do exactly as I was told and lay down to a good snooze.

Speaking of naps…is it possible to sleep while having sporadic conversations with a 3 year old? Because the precious time when my infant took a good solid nap and the 4 year old was still at her friend’s I tried to sneak a snooze. My 3 year said he wanted to join me. Of course I told him he could if he was quiet. He was playing on my bed and every once in awhile would ask me something. I think I answered him. I was half asleep. But I feel like that half got a little rest because when screaming 4 year old was dropped off I actually felt like I just woke up.

Is that possible?

Today I feel like a failure as a mom.

I couldn’t diagnos my daughter’s problem. I couldn’t fix it. I couldn’t clean the kitchen or get a load of laundry in. I couldn’t feel happy and I’m still going to blame that on the weather.