Heart Attack

Tiger is recuperating from surgery, thank you so much.

Before surgery.  We had to get special permission to be treated outside the pediatrics ward.  So what do we do when we get there?  Watching Finding Nemo, of course.

Then, we scored free tickets to the Orlando Science Center.  I hadn't been since I was in middle school on a class trip.  Unfortunately, we felt really out of place.  It's definitely a kid zone and none of ours wanted to come with us.  We stayed for an hour and left.

Who is the youngest creature in this photo?

I have the whole world...in my background.

I know little kids love this, but yawn for me.  I can go outside in my neighborhood and see turtles and gators.  Yes, I do live that close to lakes or drainage ponds and they are everywhere.  Living in Florida is no joke when it comes to wildlife.  I learned that early when I moved here at age 12.  Gators are EVERYWHERE.

We were leaving the Science Center when I got a call from my mom.  She doesn't normally call on Saturdays because both she and my stepdad work at a place in New Smyrna Beach that does beach rentals.  It's a race

(Nascar or something, I don't know, I don't keep track of races, I think they are stupid!) week so I know they were slamming busy.  But my stepdad had a massive heart attack at work.  My mom did CPR while another coworker called 911, and praise God, his life was saved.  He had 100% blockage on an artery and the physician told my mom bluntly that they call it "the Widowmaker."  He had a stent placed to keep that artery open.  If that isn't crazy enough, we have family coming in from New York today and my mom's house is the gathering place because my aunt is allergic to cats so it can't be at my house.  So instead of going to church, I am going to run to my mom's house to prepare it for guests.  My daughter, who has been such a huge pain in my rear, turned her game around and spent the night at my mom's to keep her company and then drove her to the hospital because my mom is too upset to drive.  My heart swelled with grateful pride to think, goodness, what I taught her did stick, at least a little.

This is my beautiful mom and my stepdad...a real man....on their 25th anniversary in 2011.  They were married when I was 11 years old, back in 1986.  This poor guy who stuck by my mom throughout both mine and my sister's teenage years, when we were both horribly angry at our fathers for abandoning us (my sister and I have different dads) and did all he could, to be a good father.  He taught me how to drive, helped me with algebra homework, drove me to school dances and concerts, and danced with me at my wedding when my biological dad didn't show up.  He is not just my stepfather...he is my DAD who loves me like his very own.  He is my kids grandfather and he changed diapers and kissed boo boos just like any grandpa would.  I am blessed...BLESSED!!...to have him in my life and I pray to God that he has another 30 years with my mom considering he is only 55 years old and my mom only turned 60 back in November.  Young love is fun and sexy and amazing, but true love is siting in an hospital hallways with your daughters waiting to hear if your husband is still alive.