You may be wondering what the title of this blog means? I
will start with "Okay" and what that word means. It can mean that you are "alright" as well as a sign
you’re happy with what a person has said.” This word was used in the movie, Dan In Real Life and is a movie about a young single father of three children. At the beginning
of the movie it shows him waking up and looking exhausted on the edge of his
bed. He then puts his hands through his bed hair and says, “OKAY,” and then proceeds to
stand up and go face the day with his family.
I recently had the opportunity to spend a week with my
youngest sister, her three children and my brother in-law in Meridian, Idaho. I went to
help her because she just had her third little one and I wanted to spend time with
them. The movie Dan In Real Life became a subject of conversation while I was
there. My sister mentioned how much she loved that scene when he woke up and
just said "Okay." And even though this father in the movie was totally exhausted, he was still ready to face another day with
his three kids. She proceeded by saying, "I can so relate to that." As I looked at her beautiful
face, I could see the hours of sleep she had missed and how she longed to be
able to sleep through a whole night, but because of the responsibility and love she
has for her family, it was "Okay."
This comment rang in my ears the entire time I was there. She was "okay" when her oldest son woke up most mornings at 5am but was really delighted
when he slept until 6:30. He goes from five in the morning until eight at night nonstop and then at
bedtime there is the bathing and of course four books to be read if he behaved that day...of course most nights, it was only two or three books. And with his last attempt to stay awake longer, there is all of the hugs and
kisses as her son says with tears, "I need one more hug from daddy please please." He then continues to say, "I really need a drink of water. I haven’t had one all day
and I am so thirsty." This is then followed by the obvious comment of..."I need to go to the bathroom". Finally after singing songs, the little bundle of joy gives it up to sleep and all in the world, once again seems, "OKAY." And in spite of all of this and what may appear to be pure and utter chaos to an outsider, my sister
and brother-in-law say over and over again, "OKAY!"
I was so impressed with the way my youngest sister runs her
home. I still can’t believe, when I was young and being raised with 7 brothers and sisters myself, that we
didn’t think to use a pizza cutter to cut French toast or pancakes or whatever can
be cut to make bite size morsels for little mouths to eat. I watched in awe as my sister
changed one diaper after another, cooked, washed dishes and still found time to blow bubbles, play basketball, put together puzzles and still was able to push her darling little
girl in a swing. I tried to go right alongside her and help where I could and must tell you that I was
busy all day. I, to this day, still do not know how she did all I was doing and more. I was even more amazed one evening when I noticed that she had cookie dough all ready in order to make cookies and had started to fold three loads of laundry. "When did she do that when I was with her all day?" I had to ask myself.
What a sight to behold when "daddy" came from work every
night. I was able to notice the kid's excitement and them running towards their sweet daddy who had worked hard all
day. They would jump into his arms, and he even though I'm sure he was exhausted, he still picks them up, one by one, and
kisses them, throws the in the air and catches them as they fall gently back into his loving embrace. My sister
said one night “My favorite time of the day is when my sweetie comes
home. I look forward to it every day”. This brought tears to my eyes as I was able to hear and experience this.
I spent a week with this incredible little family and was
reminded of the hardship and energy it entails in raising a family but oh the joy one can experience in seeing
two people who love each other and who are committed in raising strong, smart, honest and loving children. In referring to her children one night after they were in bed, my sister said with a sigh, “The result of my marriage." I really laughed at her profound comment but was also able to witness all the joy it has brought to her.
I learned much that week in Meridian. First off, I need to get in
better shape so that I can keep up with those young ones and drink lots of diet
coke to keep me awake. But more importantly, I was reminded of the importance of family and the
greatest gift we can give one another is time…So I can now say, "OKAY," put my hands through my bed hair after writing this blog and can now go face the day.
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