When it Matters Most

Yesterday afternoon at about 2pm my head started to ache. I don't get migraines but I do get occasional headaches.

I've never had a migraine so I don't have anything to compare it to but I think I had a migraine yesterday. A pulsing ache over my eye that caused me to need dark. Need quiet. Need peace and need someone else to take care of my five and two year old.

It happened at about the same time that Luke woke up from his nap. Early. He usually naps until three pm but of course, the day I needed him to sleep, he didn't. Fitting. Typical.

Regardless, he was up and so was I. Justin, like the child he is, was in his room for quiet time but as soon as he heard the whining of Luke, he was up and out of the bedroom which meant that it was time to chase, referee and raise my voice a little. Something I wasn't looking forward to at all. So when Justin came out to the living room and saw the crumpled mess that was his mother, he put his arm around me and said "you ok mom?". Instantly a tear escaped from my eye because was anything BUT ok and Peat was out of town for the day working. Which meant I couldn't call him home. I did call him to ask him if he knew where our bottle of Advil was but since he gets bad migraines, he had used it all up. I cried at little more.

I managed to peep my eyes open just enough to stumble into the bathroom and find some Tylenol cold pills. Good enough. Must have some acetaminophen. I'll take it.

Didn't do squat. I sat on the couch between my boys moaning in agony. Both of them staring at me like they had no idea what to do or where to start.

Luke was first to lean over and kiss my arm. Then he laid his head down on my arm and stayed motionless. Justin looked over at him and I could tell he was thinking. Luke started to whine about needing a drink. I started to cry because the thought of opening the fridge and doing something other than sitting with my eyes closed scared me. Senseless.

Justin saw my agony and put his hand on my arm and said "mom, I'll take care of what Luke needs" and he did. He got up and got his brother a drink. Then he came back to the couch, handed Luke a drink, jumped up beside me again and leaned into my close and started to stroke my hair. He kissed my forhead and told me not to worry, that he'd help me. He was so loving. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to bring it to his attention, nor could I really speak anyways. Luke started to whine about something and Justin said "lukey, mom isn't feeling well, lets just sit and watch our movie quietly". And they did. Yesterday at 2:30pm...I loved those boys. They were all I could think of.

My mom arrived about 3:30pm to give me some Tylenol with codeine *bless her* and I went into my room to lay down for half an hour. As I was walking in my room, Justin jumped up on the bed beside me and laid with me for the whole time. I put his cartoons on and he lay there, quietly watching his shows. He'd occasionally check on me to see if I was ok. He was such a doll.

So after the headache passed, I loaded the boys up in the car, took them to Walmart and bought Justin the Nintendo DS with a Super Mario game. I would have spent every penny in my pocket for what he did for me. Not just physically but emotionally. He came thru when it mattered most. I must have done something right. So far. He is only five.

I still have a lot more time to screw him up.

Michelle