Mom, we need to talk

The Deacon is on a rickety tall ladder dressing the church for Advent. I am holding said ladder when my phone rings. “Is this an emergency? I’m holding a ladder”. Response “When will you be home?”

An hour or so latter we have moved on to our middle school students putting out the new books for the year when my phone rings again. “Now is not a good time. Come back you went to far. I meant this pew. What is happening? Is there a problem? Wait, stop… that is the pew. Right there put them there”. Response “Mom, we need to talk. Dad is getting worse.”

I know what the conversation will be. Eric had to get Joe off the bus from his day program and Joe is always way mixed up when he gets home. Eric had to deal with that tonight and talk his Dad down. He had to convince him that the lady from his program had not been in our house.

He dealt with it. Then he struggled. He needed me to support him and I was nit able to right away.

After I came home and settled Joe we talked. This is our reality right now. Keeping him as calm as possible and not agitating him is what we need to do. And we need to do this despite the toll it takes on us.