Unsung Hero

Last night I had a great phone call with my sister-in-law. We were talking logistics for Thanksgiving, we were talking fashion, we were talking about kids and we were talking about the imminent reentry of her husband (my brother) into her normal everyday life.

The call was good on so many levels but what came to my mind, is that she had 'done it'. She has survived this crazy ordeal that was thrown at her last November and I believe she did a great job of it. I'm guessing that along the way it was a roller coaster of emotions, some days that were patched together, and times that felt like it would never end, but by golly the light is actually at the end of the tunnel. Our whole family was worried for her due to many factors, one being that she is a high-powered executive person in a law firm and this would be a challenge to juggle both her job and caring for the kids (thanks Mom and Dad for pitching in), another is that she had JUST lost her father when she found out about my brother's recall, another is that she has 2 kids at home, one a 3rd grader who misses his father dearly and a 16 year old daughter who is navigating that whole crazy scenario called High School (who also misses her father dearly).

Anyway, I just wanted to do a huge shout out to her. The next coming month is going to be stressful for sure. I remember my mother being a bit frenetic at times, trying to lose weight, trying to finish projects she'd started, trying to get the house in ship shape order, trying to 'keep it together'. My mother had to endure these long absences many times in her life and I appreciate her for that.

The next big challenge will be dealing with my brother at home again, reintegrating him into the flow of family life, while also being sensitive to his perspective having been gone for a year in a crazy, insane scenario. It will continue to be an 'experience', but isn't LIFE? I take my hat off to my sister-in-law and give her a virtual High Five for a job well done.