Darcie & Our Mama

  
My sister Darcie left Saturday afternoon to return to St. Louis. She'd flown in because my mom was in need of surgery last Wednesday to remove a small cancer from her breast.

So of course this was a crazy time for all of us and I was so thankful Darcie was here. Not only because I love her dearly and wish for her presence at each and every turn, but also because she tends to consistently be the calm and unruffled person that I am not.

And she's a nurse.

This means that I can at least make an attempt (no matter how feeble) to be calm and unruffled knowing that she will step in - almost like a super hero - to ask the right questions and address the concerns I may not have even thought to consider. She can also change those bloody bandages.

Now, blood really doesn't bother me all that much, but something poking out of a person (especially our mama!) and bleeding on top of it is another story. Darcie immediately pointed out to me that my "Oh My God!" and the gasping that accompanied it as we changed that first bandage was poor bedside manner.

Thankfully our mama is one of the toughest cookies in the box and only laughed.

Once we realized all was well on the mom front and we got her resting comfortably for awhile, Darcie and I made the most of our time.

As she's also a professional photographer, we took some pictures for my upcoming book Steeped. I also had to have her opinion on the paint color for my kitchen (more grey in the green), the mat for a picture I need framed (black), whether or not the curtain in my laundry room needed to be moved up six inches or so (it does), and what could be done to make my Octavia Ashford costume a little cooler (shorten the sleeves).

I haven't yet talked to Darcie since she's been home but I'm assuming the poor thing might be exhausted!

But, mama is fine. Very fine. And all cried "Amen!"

"Amen!"

"Amen!"

"Amen!"

"And Amen!"