I think most people have a time of year when they’re in a funk. For some, it’s February doldrums. For me, it’s late summer when it’s still blazing hot (90 degrees, thank you) and my allergies have kicked in. I’m going on two months now with crappy sleep. The only way to cool our house down at night is by running our attic fan but in so doing, we blast all the outdoor allergens into our house. So, my two options are either heat or allergies and when given the option, I always, always, always choose WINTER. Oh wait. That isn’t yet an option.
I’ve been desperately trying to get caught up from my summer break but pesky life keeps getting in the way. In August, a friend accidentally dropped my iPhone, completely obliterating the screen. She felt horribly and generously paid to have it repaired but I haven’t had a lick of time to do it until Saturday. We ended up being stuck in the mall and Apple store for several hours, normally congenial Jamie went off on the staffer over the horrible customer services and the list goes on. The only happy one was Bode because he was cozied up to not one but TWO Macs with Minecraft videos.
Then, our Bosch dishwasher broke. Again. Oh, and we spent several hours trying to rebuild our retaining wall that houses our huge sandpit and trampoline but after several failed attempts, we decided we’ll just have to pay someone to do it. Then there’s the kids’ dental bills, Jamie’s persisting health issues and the cherry on top (and I don’t even like maraschino cherries) is Jamie upgraded my laptop to Windows 10 two weeks ago and I’ve had non-stop problems. Oh, and I also have a virus so my directory is full and I can’t save any files. And my back-up (old computer freezes every five minutes).
It was in this fragile (a nice word for meltdown 
state that I attended an event yesterday. Medela Breastpumps reached out to me about a new program they’re launching, Medela Recycles, where moms can donate their unneeded Medela Breastpumps and they will go to a mom in need at the Ronald McDonald House because 40% of people who stay there have babies in the NICU. 
We toured the facility and I was humbled to see the miracles and trials of these families. You want a dose of perspective? Talk to a mom who has dropped everything for months to see if her 4-year-old will receive a heart transplant.
http://www.milehighmamas.com/blog/2015/09/15/medela-recycles/
Here’s a glimpse at my tour and experience and be sure to share with any moms you may know.
I'm a Canadian-born mom of two, former Denver Post columnist, family travel writer, editor of MileHighMamas.com and 9News contributor. Expert on all things Utah, Denver, family and travel. Lover of laughter and life. Happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin. 