The week leading to my birthday was an eventful week. We had an appointment for Certain Man to see if there was something we could do for the recurring pain in his hip and thigh. For clarification, this pain is not the pain that he had before surgery. Thankfully, that debilitating, burning nerve pain that went down both legs is gone. We are very grateful. However, ever since surgery, there has been an ongoing pain in his hip that affects his walk and puts him off balance. He’s had x-rays that determined that he does not need a hip replacement, and he has had injections three different times with less success each time, and this past week, his specialist recommended Platelet-Rich Plasma therapy for him. He cited the fact that Daniel’s pain is not coming from arthritis, but rather a tendon issue, and that, as such, he is a good candidate for this procedure. Of course, we don’t know that it will be helpful, but we are certainly ready to try something. Even though his problem isn’t stemming from arthritis, the weather seems to affect it, and he has had some really bad days. It’s hard for me to see this husband of mine who has been such a strong and capable man struggle to do everyday tasks, but I’ve come to realize that it’s even harder for him.
There were other appointments that kept us busy in the week. We continue looking for a vehicle since ours got totaled earlier this month. (No injuries, thank God)! Also, I picked tomatoes and peppers to (hopefully) finish off that part of the garden. The Pole Limas are still producing and on my birthday, I picked two five-gallon buckets from my 23 plants, and with the help of Daniel, Flori, and Christina, got them all shelled before an outing to Cracker Barrel to celebrate 73 trips around the sun. When we got home, I got the beans blanched, cooled and into the freezer. Our beans have done very well this year. I have almost 60 pounds in the freezer from those 23 plants, and (at least until frost comes) they look like they will give even more! I happen to like to pick beans, and I don’t mind shelling them, either. I have no complaints about our bean patch this year.
My birthday was a quiet day. The Thursday Morning Bible Study got cancelled because of scheduling conflicts and illness. It was such a sweet day, filled with texts, sweet Facebook messages and phone calls. I heard from every one of my offspringin’s, and the words were full of love and respect and warm wishes. As noted before, I picked beans, helped shell them and then went to Cracker Barrel with all of our local family except Granddaughter Charis. We did come home early because Daniel suddenly felt unwell and we decided it was best to just come home. He’s not been feeling well ever since – off and on tummy upset, and tonight he is running a low-grade fever. There has been a bug going around, but I do not intend to ignore this.
On Saturday morning, there was what we call “Yoder Breakfast.” Any of the cousins who are descended from David and Savilla Yoder will upon the whim of a certain Paul Yoder, gather at Rudy’s Restaurant in Harrington for breakfast. The dynamics change, depending on who remembers, who can shuffle schedules and, as of this last time, who can manage to stay upright on a step stool over a concrete garage floor (sorry, Ken Yoder) but it is always well worth our time. This past Saturday was one of those times, especially for this Delaware Grammy.
Back in May, I wrote a blog about Shoes and my childhood struggle between the wide feet I’d inherited and the Mary Jane buckle shoes I so desperately wanted.
Someone was listening.
Daniel and I walked into the back room at Rudy’s where cousins had already begun to gather, and I saw an empty chair beside my cousin, Lucy Bontrager Yoder. There really isn’t any cousin I don’t want to sit beside, but Lucy is always good for conversation, and I was glad the seat was empty. I sidled up and plopped myself into the chair beside her. We exchanged brief pleasantries and then she looked at me, her eyes shining.
“Mary Ann. Would you do something for me today?” My mind raced. Lucy is seriously affected by MS, and I wondered what in the world she might ask me to do. But she is not unreasonable, and I was pretty sure I was safe so I said, rather puzzled, that I would.
“Okay,” she announced. “I want you to pretend that you are a little girl coming into Lou’s Bootery, and I’ll be Mr. Lou!” (What in the world???). “Just pretend you have just come into my store.”
“Okay,” I said, hesitantly, still unsure what was happening. “Hello,” I said.
“Hello, little girl. How can I help you? What Kind of shoe would you like today?” Lucy was putting all the dramatics into this and it was suddenly fun!
“Oh,” I said, “I would really like a pair of black patent leather Mary Jane shoes with straps!”
“Well, guess what! I think we just might have exactly the thing for you, minus the patent leather!’ Lucy reached below the table and hauled out a bag, holding a shoe box that held a pair of black Mary Jane shoes, just my size, with at strap that was long enough and fastened with a Velcro fastener. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I took off my tie shoes (with the toe almost coming through the front) and slid my feet into these beautiful new shoes. I held my breath until my feet settled comfortable and snug inside them, and then I cried.
I’m not eight years old. I’m 73. And I have no visions of grandeur when it comes to thinking a pair of shoes will somehow make either me or my feet more acceptable. It isn’t that at all. It’s the fact that someone listened, someone cared, and I feel seen somehow. It is such a gift.
Oh, my sweet cousin. You have faced challenges, reversals, rejection and loss that would have turned a lesser person into a bitter, selfish recluse, but you have lived with Grace and thought beyond yourself and the injustices that life has handed you. It is a gift that you have given, not only to others, but to yourself as you have allowed the Light to shine through you. It has made you beautiful.
Thank you for my shoes. They are far more than a childhood wish fulfilled and I will treasure them for all they represent.
Birthdays and Weeks and Shoes
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