Samsmom: Life, Joy, Loss and Loving your Mitochondria

It takes a village to raise a child. In the case of my child it takes a very, very large village with a good pharmacy. We are very lucky that the most active villagers are Samantha’s grandparents. I know this isn’t always the case and I am continually counting my lucky stars.

My birthday weekend was celebrated in Breckenridge with Bart, Samantha and her grandparents, Pops and Nonnie. What a fabulous weekend! Good food, good snow, good company and a chance to connect with my inner Beastie. My Beastie is amazing. She is strong, fearless and a kick-ass skier (ha!). Unfortunately, two back-to-back pregnancies and a sick child had sent my Beastie into hibernation.

It takes a village to release her. The capable hands of Nonnie watching Samantha so that I can ski without obsessively checking my cell phone. Dad and Bart who promptly led me up to the Peak 8 bowl without a warm-up….ahh the confidence they have in me! I am pleased to announce that my Beastie can be summoned with a little help. She shakes off the cobwebs, pulls down her goggles and howls at the moon! She jumps off the top of Peak 8 without a second thought. She needed to be released. I am grateful to the villagers who let her come out and play.

As I write this I am sipping tea at a coffee shop while Grandma Judi watches Sam. Ahhh, my good village with strong warriors and smart medicine women.

The moderator of my writing group said to me “You have been given wings.” Hmmmmm, wings make me a flying Beastie…..ROAR!