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Photo 157899766 / Cherry Cherry Cake © Nonneljohnvilbar | Dreamstime.com

I have a contract with a publisher, and my #1 goal for this summer is to finish writing my book, Life, Faith, and Saltwater Taffy. I am now getting back on track after a stretch during which I could not find the time or energy to write.

I’ve been dealing with two very different issues, both of them draining. First, there’s my mother. She has been on hospice care for over three months now and I’ve been visiting her frequently. There have been so many ups and downs that at times I have felt like I was strapped in alongside her, taking an emotional roller coaster ride.

Second, we’ve been fighting the battle of the bugs. Some yellow jackets decided to build a nest on our deck, right by the door from the kitchen. Mosquitos targeted me for stealth attacks, until I had more bites than I could ever remember. And the worst part was, I wasn’t certain if all of them were mosquito bites, because for the first time in many years of dog-ownership, our furry friend brought home fleas. We didn’t see many, but we didn’t want to see any . . . and certainly didn’t want a new generation to spring from our carpet! Thus began a cycle of getting supplies, vacuuming the carpet, bathing the dog, washing linens and the dog’s bed, and then starting all over again. (I think we have now finally won the fight!)

For weeks, it seemed I was either sitting at my mother’s bedside, or home fighting the fleas. One Monday, I returned home after a long visit with my mother, and considered taking just a moment to relax . . . until I saw a flea crawling up my favorite chair. Ugh. Seriously? I immediately threw some wash in the machine and got out the vacuum.  It was not shaping up to be a fun day, and there was one more factor which added to my stress. That third thing? It just happened to be the hottest day ever recorded in this area! I guess you could say I was hot and bothered.

The rest of that week was rough with my mother, and we continued to deal with the fleas. Then Friday came, and I had another day with “that third thing”. After visiting my mother, who was not doing well, I came home to grab a late lunch. Before I could take a bite, the phone rang. It was the social worker from hospice. She was calling to see how I was doing. In the course of the conversation, she asked if I had said goodbye to my mother. That question hit me like a freight train. Yes, my mother has lived a long life and none of us live forever. But watching her decline that week had been heart-rending, and her death would be hard. I hung up the phone and sobbed. It had been a physically and emotionally exhausting week. I was spent. I’m not much of a crier, but I think it was good for me. After a while, I wiped my tears and headed out to the garage to get something from the car. Why was the garage floor all wet? It didn’t take me long to figure out that the extreme heat had been too much for the freezer we kept in the garage. I did find a little humor in the fact that not only had I had a complete melt-down—so had the freezer!

When I told a neighbor about my day, she responded with, “My sister would say that was ‘the cherry on the cherry cake’”! So, how did I react to that cherry on top of my day? On Monday, the third factor (the heat) had caused annoyance and exhaustion. On Friday, I had a different reaction. Maybe having had a good cry had something to do with it. I tried to find the humor as I threw my hands up in the air! I had to face the fact I wasn’t in control of any of it. I needed to trust God, who is in control. Soon, a dear friend came by with an extra cooler, my husband made dinner, and the three of us enjoyed a relaxed dinner on the back deck (avoiding the yellow jackets as best we could). I couldn’t change the situations I was dealing with, but I could take a deep breath and enjoy the food, the company, and the beautiful evening. Sometimes that’s the best we can do!

When you have a tough week, hang in there. You’re not alone!