I read a quote recently that said, “Life is like a book. Some chapters are happy. Some are sad. And some are exciting. But if you never turn the page, you will never know what the next chapter has in store for you.”
I have wanted to write a book about my journey with Mitzi for a long time, but I didn’t want to do it until I knew how the story of her life here on earth played out. Over a year ago, I asked my husband if we could budget so I could take a month off after she was gone, whenever that would be, in order to try and process and unpack the whole experience. I knew if I went right out and found a new job, I would get pulled into whatever world that was and have to neatly pack up all the priceless pieces of my Mitzi Memories and seal them in a box to be put on a shelf. I really hated the idea of doing that. I told my husband I would happily pull out my old budget crunch recipe book, “101 Ways To Stretch Your Meal Planning With A $4.99 Costco Chicken” that I made years ago when the kids were small and times were lean(er)!
Fortunately, I have a truly phenomenal husband. Not only has he been willing to share my time and energy with whatever Mitzi needed over the past 3 years, but he’s done a ton of laundry and homework help while I was too wiped out at the end of an emotionally taxing day to have it in me to do. So, it was no shock to me that when I asked him for the extra time once she was gone so that I could work on the possibility of a book, he generously encouraged me to take the time I needed. He really is phenomenal. But I think I already said that.
So, that’s what I’m working on. I asked Mitzi many times, and we talked about it often in the last 2 years at least, whether she would want me to share her story and write a book about our adventures. Her response on multiple occasions was, “Yes! Maybe we can be on Oprah or Dr. Oz!”
I’m not sure what the world needs or wants to know about the petite 50-something-year-old former Homecoming Queen with Alzheimer’s and her giant funny sidekick, but I’m attempting to put what I can down on paper and just see what happens. If you have any thoughts or comments or suggestions, I’m all ears. (Of course I’ll gladly take any and all prayers!)…????
