Life is like lemonade, and I like mine just the way it is.

Over the years I have been through ups and downs as anyone has. I have had many experiences that make me who I am today, and I have encountered several people that have had an impact on my life, good and bad. Recently a friend and patient of mine passed away and this is not the first time I have dealt with this. As I drove home the day I found out, I thought of all the other people that I have gotten close to over the years in my career and it scares me to think that eventually I will lose these people too. The pain of losing them is hard, but to think of my life without them is just ridiculous. I have enjoyed my moments with them and each of their life stories has enriched mine. I am happy that one of my good friends, Esther Gates, is a 90 year old woman who is no where near slowing down, heck this woman invented priority mail! So I am enjoying the people that enrich my life, even though I know sometimes I will suffer a loss, but all in all it is worth it. There is also a different side of this coin. There are people that have come into my life who have had a negative impact overall. I am a forgiving person at heart. I have given lots of people second chances, and even a few people have gotten third chances. But once you cause hurt to me or my family, you might as well have moved to Russia, because you will not be back in the good graces of this family again. My husband and I have worked hard to get where we are in life, and we are extremely happy. We love our life just the way it is. We don't feel the need to add more drama or take away the upcoming drama that may unfold. The recipe is just right, and I think we have just the perfect blend, no more lemons needed. 03.15.11

A Two-riffic Day for the Sitzman's

After many months of carrying around the world's fastest growing beach ball (filled with sand of course) my sister decided that February 7, 2011 would be the day that she met the two dumplings she was baking in there. The c-section was scheduled and plans were made, days were taken off, plane tickets were bought. The day before the release of thing one and thing two, I could tell my little sister was nervous, but in a good way. I could see that she had so many wonders and worries going on in her head, but didn't know how to arrange them all to make sense of them. I knew she was nervous about the c-section, and as anyone would be the gore that comes with it. Most of all though I could see the amazement and shock that it had truly come to this point and she tomorrow was about to become a mother. This wasn't just a normal, you are going to be a mom in nine months (by the way it is actually 10), it was after years of trying, crying and hoping this is really happening. There are no words for moments like this, only support and taking it in mentally. I was so excited for her and Keith, and to be honest I was excited for myself. I finally was ready to get a taste of the "auntie" ways, at this point I had been the loan parent of the trio and I was ready to have a kid(s) to kiss on and when they started leaking in anyway hand them back and say, "I think they need you." I was also ready to have someone join Jaaron and I on the parent side of the fence. It is hard to be the one with the kids, the lame ones that can't do anything fun. Hey would you guys like to go to a bar and watch the game? No thanks have these kids things here, but would you like to head to chuck-e-cheese with us? There is pizza involved and games too! Sadly no one jumped to our side. Now they have to**insert evil laugh here** any way I digress.

On the morning of February seventh, I got up early, got ready for work (I was only working a half day) and headed in. On my commute though, all of a sudden I freaked out. What am I doing? Why am I not there? They are cutting my sister open and I am going to work? Who am I? WTF???!!! So of course I did what any normal Broadbent would do at this moment, I called my mom because I knew she was freaking out waaaayyyy worse than me. When you are losing it, call someone who is a little more over the edge than you. Mom was also a mess, and being so far away was killing her. She had the same why's that I did and we lamented on the decisions we had made and then promised that if either of us heard anything we would call instantly! Ok now onto watching the clock for a couple of hours, I am sorry were you talking to me? Oh I was watching my cell phone, waiting for it to ring, everything else around me is just noise, like a annoying fly, shoo shoo-go away! My patient is here, um do they know I am a basket case today, they do, ok good send them in!

10:07 am the signal from a simple text on my cell phone came in, the sound of an angel, and I found out that I was an aunt of two very healthy babies, and my sister was doing wonderful. This is when I did the happy dance, huge sigh of relief, and an overwhelming feeling of joy that I was an aunt! That day could not roll on fast enough, and finally after pushing my last patient out the door as fast as possible (they look at you funny when you pull their walker faster and make them pick up the pace, but speed is good grandma, enjoy it), I raced to the hospital to meet the dynamic duo. After getting cavity searched and x-rayed, I finally got to go to my sisters room. I walked in and I was greeted with my sister laying in bed with Jackson Davis and Genevieve Paige and it was instant love. I have no idea which part I liked more that day, the introduction of two perfect new family members or seeing my sister as a mother for the first time. It was sublime, and there was no way I could describe the feeling. After cuddles and kisses and some stories and diaper changing, I asked how they felt as parents. They both said it was all so surreal, but as I watched them tell the tale of how their precious babies came into this world I saw the amazement of life and the joy of becoming a parent on their face. And nothing had to be said, but at this point I sat back and my heart yet lifted again, and for selfish reasons this time, now I had someone on my side of the fence. But the thing about being over here is, only you know how special it is to discover the feeling and intense love of being a parent. And it is more majestic than anything else you will ever experience in life. 02.08.11