Dorothy Parker & 5th Anniversaries

While the SuperBowl is always a fun party it is somewhat of a harbinger in the Stifel house. The days after are the anniversary of when my husband lost his leg and spent a month in the ICU after complications from a strep infection. 5 years doesn't blunt the fact that Bob is still missing a leg (one of the neighborhood kids did ask if it would grow back, like a salamander) and that he still suffers phantom pain as a result of the operation. I often tell him, "sorry darling, I am still in the 'happy you are here' stage. Hopefully that will never end.

To celebrate we usually invite the immediate neighbors over that helped me juggle kids, therapies, phone calls & doctors appointments. As I am pigheadedly stubborn about asking for help this time of year is also a great reminder of how one's friends can ease your pain and carry your burdens for you. That is, if you will let them.

Let's raise a toast to those we still have, those that we don't and all that we love.