G is for graduation

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Holding a newborn after so many years was such tingling experience. Such a precious little man, Sean…so precious.  Family gathered around him, loving him.

Grandchildren had gone from baby to teens and these grandparents hadn't held a new grandson for years.  Sean was the beginning of another set of babies.  Sweet boy...such a precious sweet boy.

Sean could hit the baseball hard, could stretch out his glove, and catch anything hit his way.  Then his parents noticed that he wasn’t using his left hand. 

Doctor visit, then Pediatric Neurologist, then an MRI, and then on the fourth day Sean’s parents heard the news of a brain tumor. Surgery would happen in seven days.

The first surgery was done by one of only two Pediatric Neurosurgeons in the entire country. The tumor was wrapping around the brain stem; if the surgery had not been done, he would have died in two months. Sean was nine then.

A new MRI, and then a second surgery. The first surgery had been brutal, but the second was indescribable.  So much trauma, so much of who he was, taken away. Sean was ten. 

Then radiation. Then this…that…this…

Now…Sean is 22 years old.  Now, even after such horrible surgeries which left severe disabilities, Sean is graduating from University.

There will be rejoicing and tears for this young man, this precious man, this precious young man.

Of all the A to Z posts written this year, this one was the hardest. No words seemed to fit or relay this. My nephew is amazing.

F is for Far, Far away

You are in the right place.

My sister Mary and brother Bill, about summer 1959 on our farm.

“Mama!  Me an’ Mary are runnin’ away!”  Billy exclaimed, holding up Daddy’s lunch pail.  “See, and we gots everything we’re gonna need!”

Mama peered into the pail.  Some little panties, two pair of Billy’s socks, a jar of pickles, and little Dolly.

“Well, Billy, where are you and Mary going?”

“We’re goin’ far, far away!” Billy closed the lunch pail.

“Far ‘way, Mama!” Mary echoed.  “I gots Dolly with me, so’s I sleep good.”  She nodded seriously.

“Where abouts is far far away, Billy?”  

“Way over there, Mama!”  He pointed to the barn.

“Over there!”  Mary repeated.

She gave them each a kiss, and they set on their way. 

As she walked back to the house, Mama heard Billy call over his shoulder. “Be sure to call us for dinner, ‘kay?”

Those memories are so precious to me.  Hang onto your own!

E is for Eedjit

My father-in-law was a child in Ireland during the Depression.  He was surrounded by first cousins, uncles, aunts...As an adult, the only Gaelic words he remembered were swear words.  He used this word below a lot.

County Longford...where my father-in-law lived.

The Irish words for “idiot” are eedjit, amadάn, and amaid. Amάdan means “fool” and amaid means “foolish woman”. Obviously, these are more formal Irish.  

But, eedjit?

Eedjit is the everydayIrish word for idiot.  Chances are it was changed to “eedjit” by the Irish to refer to the English word “idiot.  

Here are some thoughts from another site:

Eedjit:

Eedjit is one English man, so……

Sure and, Eedjits is more than one Englishman….

Dinna ye know: Eedjit is bein’ one sandwich short of a picnic….

Eedjits was stolen from the Scottish language, Eejits.  And I bloody well know…

Hard tae swallie, bein’ an eedjit is official, dey up and put it in de Scottish dictionary…

And there you have it: Eedjit.

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You must see this movie...it comes close to revealing the best of Irish life.