All the great leaders will tell you that failure was their greatest teacher. This sure holds true in the Warrior life we live. To be honest most of the world looks at our children as a failure but they try to understand it. They try to help and they try to make room for a shoulder to cry on or lean on or whatever is necessary.
The failures are a key to success. We find out as moms of these special kids and adults what we can do when things don’t go right. This happened to us this week.
I had the idea to have a date night (which always includes Anna) up at our cottage after work. Yes, it would be dark out . If all went well we would have two hours at the cottage before needing to turn around and be back for school for her and work for me. I’d love 8 hours but we have to take what we can get and I had not been up there for over a month due to work circumstances. I did not care if the time was limited. I feel free and so peaceful at the cottage. The desolation of it makes my heart happy.
We took the truck because we needed to haul some things to store in our barn. Anna sits in her carseat and loves the ride. It’s a big truck with a smooth ride. We stopped for gas and a treat at the store before arriving.
I had never been up there after dark or this time of the year. To drive US 12 and see the Christmas Lights is a thrill for me. We drove through Saline and Clinton and their sweet little towns with the old fashioned rows of businesses lighting up the windows gave me great joy. Every Christmas tree I saw made happiness and jolly thoughts swell in my mind and my heart. What fun!
Then we passed Michigan International Speedway, did you know they have a light show 6 miles long that makes Hines Drive look tiny? I had no idea. Life is so full of wondrous car rides and boy this was a doozy!
We arrived and almost got stuck in the snow. The truck is not four wheel drive, Paul was doing his best. I sat quietly. This was not going to be good. I waited. We slipped, we glided, we got unstuck. We hadn’t even made it in the pole barn. He maneuvered and we got inside. He jumped out and made a fire in the wood stove. I waited in the car with Anna. I jumped over the seat since we parked on the car lift and I could not open Anna’s door. I hooked up her tube feeding and gave her all her nighttime meds. I was waiting to get her out, wanted the barn to heat up.
Paul jumped back in the truck with his eye in the line of the wood stove to watch the fire and keep it from going out. We ate our sandwiches and goodies we bought at the market on the way up. Soon we both got out and we soon realized the wood stove would not create enough heat in there for Anna. For us, yes, but not for her. She can’t move her fingers or toes to warm up. She can’t completely warm up if parked in front of the wood stove because I can’t put her too close to the stove or she might reach out and burn her hand. Paul and I thought. Um, I said, I guess I over shot on how this would go. I see now that she can’t get warm outside of the truck. We are failing.
Just then she started crying, and then bawling. I went back to the truck, climbed in, and sat by her. Anna is usually good to sit for long periods as long as people are around, but I did not filter in that she would be strapped in sitting in the carseat. This was not going well. I played her favorite music and she calmed a bit. I told Paul to pack up and thank goodness we already unloaded the stuff we brought up there. She started crying again. He got in the truck and I prayed we would not get stuck in the snow. Sticking in snow, Anna crying, the night is cold and dark. I’m hoping for a better exit than calling AAA with a screaming Anna in he backseat.
We back out. Paul is trying not to get stuck, Anna is crying and I am wondering if the whole ride back will be a cryathon. She can’t help it, but we can’t stay. We can’t go anywhere but home because she’s probably tired too. I sit and be patient. We get stuck, but Paul uses his magic and whips us out of the rut and out of the the driveway and we are on our way. Anna stops crying as soon as we go over the first hill. We get on US 12 and she breaks out in laughter. My heart fills. She is fine, she was just mad. I like when she lets us know and then snaps out of it.
Our story has a happy ending. We have Suburban Propane coming up Thursday to install propane and we have a propane heater going into the pole barn. When it doesn’t work for Anna we make it work. It has to work for all of us and mainly her. We adjust so we can live our lives to the fullest and she can be the tag-al-og in our journeys. Never let this life stop you, Warrior on.
I’m sorry when things don’t go as planned for you! I’m glad you’re getting heat! Your cabin sounds blissful- hope you have some time to enjoy it together!