Remarkable

We stepped into the hair salon... actually, I stepped in, Tony bounced in like a kickball.  His head, with all the hair on it, weighed more than his body and it was time for me to take him for a haircut because watching him fall head over heels every day was getting old.  We put in our name and sat down to wait.  A mother was there - she had two girls and two boys, all walking but certainly under the age of seven.  I watched her interact with the children who weren't quite bouncing as high as Tony, but bouncing all the same.  Besides, she had four balls to keep in check, I only had one. 

"You've got your hands full,"  I said, admiringly because she was remarkable in her actions.

"Yeah, it's a little easier because they're all around the same age."

"Twins?"

"No.  I adopted my sister's boy and girl and I have a boy and girl of my own.  It's been tough because I just moved here from Ohio and this is my first outing with all four of them."

"You're doing a great job."

"Thanks.  My son has autism so it has been a tough adjustment for him to share his sister with two other kids."

"Where in Ohio?"

"A small town outside of Columbus.  But my family is from here.  We moved two weeks ago and I got the kids 48 hours after settling into the new house."

"Wow."

She sighed, "Yeah.  God only gives as much as a person can handle, I suppose."

"Did you at least have some time to digest the move before the actual move?"  I asked.

"Six weeks.  My husband moved immediately, for work, you know?  Then I had to pack up our house, get it on the market, sell it and then move everything here."

"Wow."  I said and she laughed.

"Do you mind me asking what happened to your sister?"  I presumed she had died.

"She had a heroine overdose, if you can believe it.  She is now in rehab but the kids were really suffering."  She paused, took a deep breath and said, "I doubt you'll understand but I am one of six children and our brother died last year.  It was too much for my sister to handle."

The tears welled in my eyes and I said, "Oh, I do understand.  I lost my brother last year too."  We both swallowed the lumps in our throats and she went on, "...and so, it was hard for my sister to handle.  She had been clean for years..."

"I get you.  God bless you.  You are a remarkable person." 

She smiled and sighed and said, "God only gives me as much as I can handle."

I smiled and said, "Well then, you know enough to expect more than you think you can handle.  How is your husband with all this?"

As soon as I mentioned him, her face lit up.  Lit up!

"He's amazing!  He comes home from work and jumps right in.  He helps me with dinner, does the dishes and gives the boys their baths."

"He sounds awesome."  I said, smiling.

"Oh yeah.  He is the best.  I would be nothing without him."

This time, I swallowed the lump in my throat alone.

I wished her luck, sent another blessing her way and watched as she confidently ushered four, beautifully groomed children out the door.

Remarkable, indeed.