We fall and trip sometimes.

One thing that I have to live with every day is the possibility of one of my family members needing me in a way that I can't always be there for.  Other times, I'm there, the need isn't dire, the deed not demanding, but it's a way to help them out.


Case in point.  Jamie has cabin fever, and I don't blame he.  After the birth of Eliana Jamie lasted maybe two weeks before we made a trip to Target.  The weather in California in May being as different as January in New Jersey, made this possible.  Taking a baby out even in a California winter is SO different than in New Jersey.  Jamie's pediatrician and midwife have both said to avoid taking her where there are large numbers of people, to mention nothing of the sometimes frigid temperatures.  Anyway, we have had our little trips to the store, just for a break, and such was to be the case on Thursday.


Kohl's has a great post-holiday sale and we had 30% off, warranting a very necessary trip.  You know, you get in the mindset of what your day will go like.  Didn't happen quite as we planned.  Marco left for work early Thursday morning as usual ... with the car seats in his car.  No problem.  I'd run over to the school and pick them up, but first I'd have to go over to the hospital to break my friend out and take her home.  


Now, anywhere else, this wouldn't be a big deal.  Eleven miles to the hospital, from there seven miles to my friend's house and from there to Marco's school, 14 miles then another 14 miles home.  A total of around 45 miles took me almost 2 hours.  TWO HOURS!  I loved the scenery, don't get me wrong, and I do like to drive, but when Retail Therapy is at  stake, well, you know.  A literal trip and a trip in our plans.


We took another trip on Friday to Sam's Club, my folks, Eliana and I.  It was a big trip, lots of items, lots of loading and unloading, and as my mom gets out of the car and closes her door, I notice her wince and make a face.  I watched her limp away into the house as I got out of the car to unload the trunk, thinking not much of it since Mom always limps.  After about four trips to the car and back to the house, Jamie says, "Have you seen Granny's leg?  She's bleeding everywhere!"  Sure enough, Mom had caught her leg on the edge of the car door as she back up to close it using her bum (her hands being full) and her thin skin ripped open and blood was pouring down her leg.  Jamie took care of her very competently whilst I finished up the unloading and putting away.  I always wonder if we are going to have to have a trip to the doctor's to get stitches!


But wait, I'm not finished.  Saturday was our first wonderful day of snow and we didn't have to go anywhere. Kris cleared the driveway, the cars and did a few errands etc.  Daddy hadn't had a very good night and was feeling somewhat shaky, a common state with his nearly 83 year-old body.  We regularly threaten Mommy and Daddy that they are NOT to go out when the weather is bad and there's a possibility that they could slip.  


Why Daddy decided that, despite being shaky, he should go out to the garage and do his usual one hundred steps on the elliptical.  Unbeknownst to him, there were boots on the step out into the garage and Daddy, not thinking there would be anything there, stepped into one of the boots and went flying.  He gashed his arm on something and fell on his knees, badly grazing one of them.  Mommy informed me after the fact and she had cleaned him up.


Life is one big trip with lots of falls along the way, literal and figurative.  I'm not always good at handling either, and at other times I handle them spectacularly.  As time moves on, the literal falls that Mommy and Daddy take are harder for them and me too.  Obviously I don't suffer the pain and stiffness of the recovery from their falls, but it scares the crud out of me and makes me feel like I'm not nearly as vigilant as I should be.  Should I be up way before them to make sure I'm all dressed and ready for the day, just in case?  That "Just in Case" looms over me some days more than others.  Should I remove all the rugs that we have lying around?  Should everything be lighted 24/7?  Which fall will be the last one?  And within the year, we're going to have a little one learning to crawl and walk which presents a whole new trip!


All of that sounds kind of dire, but it's the kind of thing that goes through my mind often, especially when I'm trying to go to sleep and I'm going over the day.  I'd rather be taking a trip into dreamland.