Wanna Mood Swing? I'll Push!

I have had that bile-in-the-back-of-my-throat feeling for a few days now. It's like the feeling you get when you have too much coffee but it's all the time---and I never have too much coffee. I have dreaded the end of this week coming for weeks now, and it's here.

I leave this Friday for the We The People finals in Washington DC. It's quite a deal for me, I am Oklahoma's Teacher Scholar. The Center that sponsors the competition pays the way for a teacher from a non winning (dare I say losing?) team to see Nationals. So I see the higher level of competition, share that with my students and grow the program for young Americans in our fine city. It's a fine consolation prize and an outstanding way to see the country. Seriously, it could be Turtle Wax.

But there's Dad...

My famous inattention to detail had be thinking that his knee replacement surgery was the day before I leave for DC. I was wrong. I board the plane at 8, he goes under the knife at 10. I loose every good daughter point I ever earned.

So it's a mood swing...

"Wow! I will finally get to hear
the judges I have heard about
give their thoughts on Constitutional issues!"

"Last time Dad had surgery,

I brought Mom the coffee she likes,

my sister doesn't drink coffee.

I need to do this."

"There are eight yarn stores
within a ten mile radius of my hotel"

"He gets so bored just lying there.

I could bring my laptop to watch movies"

"Network!! Network, I say!!!"

"My sister wasn't there when PaPa died.

I remember how she hurt and how she still hurts..."

(Improbable? Yes. I still think it sometimes)

All odds show that Dad will be fine. My care shift will be sometime after I return. We will watch movies and talk about his visitors. Just pray for us, internets.