Eric and I have enjoyed immensely sharing a sick sense of humor, often at each others expense.
Recently, Michael has been telling Mariah that he wants to ask her dad for her hand in marriage before he loses his ability to speak. Not to get married right away, but for after college when they are both old enough. A *huge hug* for Michael’s sweet heart. I do adore that boy!
Michael is also afraid of Eric not appreciating his request. I tell Mariah to wait until her dad can no longer talk and have Michael ask him then! To tell Eric to blink once for “yes” and not to blink at all for “no” … then blow in his eyes! J
It sounds mean, but there is only one person who will appreciate that, it’s Eric. He laughed when Mariah told him. Mariah doesn’t fully appreciate the sick sense of humor we share.
I’m not the only one.
Mariah was two years old when we divorced. When I would call over to his house to talk to Mariah, he would shout in the background for Mariah to stop playing with the knives and come talk to me. He thought he was funny.
Then came the holidays, Eric would ask every year what I was going to get him. His gift ideas varied year-to-year with a common theme: One year it was a one-way ticket to Afghanistan
Ahhhh, the years of attending sport banquets or being at places together for Mariah were we would dine together. I would smile and tell him to enjoy his dinner, that he may start to feel drowsy, but to just go with it, go to the light. I especially had fun at his expense when handing him a beverage, “You may get very sleepy.”
It is like unlike anything that I can describe to have been married, divorced and share a lifetime raising a child learning to team parent out of love for Mariah, then to be blindsided that a disease will take his life far too soon.
Eric wants things to remain as normal as possible. So I will continue to be me with him and he will continue with his sense of humor with me.
We had a conversation recently on our cell phones. Seconds went by and I couldn’t hear him, so I asked if he was there? He replied, “I was in a dead zone.” Others don’t find it funny, but I thought that was a great comeback!
In the end, we have learned to raise a child together and team parent like champs.
We have learned to let bygones be bygones and cry together through needed conversations.
We have learned to keep our humor for the sake of remaining normal.
