The best laid plans often lead to a massive mess

The downside of being in a groove when raising a child is that you don’t see curveballs coming.

I’m not talking about unexpected car maintenance or working late one night — those things I have learned to anticipate at all times. No, I mean the random and often ridiculous situations one finds themselves in within their own home when they least expect it.

I was able to take a half-day last week in order to catch up on a project I need to wrap up for school. I was so stoked and had my whole day planned. First I needed to clean the cat litter boxes or city officials were going to condemn my basement. 

Next, I figured I would shampoo a 10- by 10-foot area of carpet in my living room to remove the dog urine my beagle so lovingly deposited recently. But I never realized how dirty the main walkway of only a year-old carpet could be. Buckets and buckets of brown water later, I had to abandon the project and move onto my homework.

But then I noticed that my other dog, a German shepherd, was crying when he scratched one of his ears. Off to the vet we went, only to find out he had a yeast infection. Where in the heck do those come from? Has he been sneaking into a muffin factory while I sleep at night?

By mid-afternoon, I was finally getting to my schoolwork. That’s when I noticed the funky odor from the baby’s room. Might as well empty the diaper pail, right? After all, the next day was trash day.

But back to homework …

I got myself a cool drink and gathered all my school materials. I only had about an hour to work on my project before I had to pick up the baby and I didn’t need any more distractions. Plus I was all filled up with bodily fluids.

I sat down and no sooner did I get my seat warm, but the shepherd starting whining.

“No!” I said, thinking he wanted to play fetch outside. It pretty much is the only thing on his mind other than pooping and eating and, lately, it often gets pushed down the priority list.

“Lay down,” I said. “I’ll play with you later.”

He took one step forward, leaned down and … he puked at my feet.

Family inspires me to be a better mother, person

Her name is Hannah Mae, and she has captured my heart.

She was born May 18 in the state of Washington, a beautiful, bouncing bundle of joy. Shortly after birth, it was discovered that she had a heart condition and, two months later, she underwent heart surgery.

The procedure was not as successful as was hoped and now this tiny little girl is awaiting a heart transplant.

She has never left the hospital, has never seen her family’s home, was not even held by her parents until this week.

I became aware of Hannah Mae and her family through the wonderful world of Facebook. I just happened to see a posting of my husband’s friend about another friend — Hannah’s mother.

As I read blog of this courageous mother, I started to cry. It made me realize how trivial my problems are. It made me grateful for my healthy baby. It made me painfully aware that any one of us could be in this mother’s position.

Can you imagine what that would be like? All the highs and lows of each medical procedure, weathering all the predictions and prognoses, trying to keep it together for the sake of your other children — they have two sons as well.

And then, to hope beyond hope, that your little angel can get a heart to live, even though you know it will take the death of another child in order to make that happen.

This story might seem hopeless, but it’s not. Hannah Mae is a fighter, having faced the toughest medical challenges and battling back each time. Perhaps she is inspired by her mother, who is strong and gracious during this most trying of times.

Where others would despair, she writes messages of hope. Where others others would think about themselves, she does nothing but thank and appreciate others. This mother has inspired me to be better, do better, think better — love better.

Read their story and you will fall in love with this precious little girl, just as I did: hannahmaeneedsaheart.com/default.html.