Uneven

Have you ever watched someone on the Uneven Bars? Its breathtaking how they maneuver so delicately between the bars. Just when you think they are going to crash into the bar, they are back up in the air soaring around, twisting and turning.  There is so much grace in the chaos that is this gymnastic event.

Much like those bars, my life had become a balancing act between my mom's personalities.  It wasn't until I 16 that a scientific label was put on the chaos that she was.  Manic Depressive Disorder, aka Bipolar disorder.

My mom could be the most graceful, giving person you would ever meet.  She could also be the most selfish, self-centered, egotistical, maniacal individual you ever met.  You never knew who you were going to meet that day.  Some days you didn't know if all 7 of her personalities would show up at once. I don't mean she was schizophrenic or suffering from multiple personalities.  She just could quite possibly have 7 different versions of herself.

The Helper.  
The Helper would make sure my sister Angie and I had all of our homework done and would help us with our various extra curricular activities.  She was quick to come to friends' rescue, "giving" of her self time and again. 

Bruised

She didn't see it coming.  He wasn't the man she married.  He definitely wasn't the father he pledged himself to be. The sparkle he used to have in his eyes for life had dimmed so much that darkness spilled out.   The stress had overtaken him.  Keeping up with the big dogs at work, planning for a child, the loss of his dad, had over time eaten away at who he used to be.

She remembered the day they met.  Alex had such a zest for life, such an energy. Everyone who knew him couldn't stay away.  It was contagious.  He never did anything half heartily.  He poured all he had into whatever he had on his plate and never seemed to burn out.  The drive to see things through, to make magic happen, seemed only to empower him.  Hillary being a little more on the introverted side, found herself pulled towards him.

The day they found out they were going to be parents, Alex cried, yelled, laughed and even did a few cartwheels.  He made sure that anyone that knew him, friend or acquaintance, knew he was going to be a father to the best little boy or girl in the world