The Benefits of Mood Swinging

[caption id="attachment_4455" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Mood Swinging ME"][/caption]

What a wacky wange week.  The last week Ellie was alive last year.  Tonight was the night Dr. Iskandar and Dr. Puccetti came to our house and officially announced that there was nothing more to be done for Ellie.  Tomorrow started the last 3 days she was with us in her physical body.  I find myself moody, trying desperately not to trip and fall into a bucket of gloom.  I am reminded of a time we were playing a game with Kip and Patrick, the question on the table was who was the moodiest person in the room (is it just me or does this seem like a frightening question to pose, particularly to someone moody?).  Every one else in attendance agreed that I should win that prize.  I vehemently protested (tho dost protest-est too much?), arguing that perhaps Kip should (even the suggestion seems utterly ridiculous now).  Today that protesting is coming back to haunt me.  I was contemplating (you know how I like to do that, right?) how being moody isn't all bad, I mean at least you know my dark mood is going to suddenly and erratically change back into a light hearted one right?  I do feel a bit badly for sweet Ben and how these

[caption id="attachment_4422" align="alignright" width="225" caption="Ben cannot help but laugh if you tell him not to."][/caption]

unexplained mood fluctuations must be extremely surprising.   

Speaking of Ben, last Tuesday Ben and Lotta and I went to one of our favorite neighborhood restaurants, Monty's Blue Plate Diner.  We saw a friend from Ben's school there.  As they were getting ready to leave, Ben suddenly said, "I learned how to talk to people from my sister, Ellie."  He explained that he used to feel shy talking to people he didn't know, but watching Ellie talk to others helped him to feel comfortable doing the same.  I agreed that Ellie taught me that no one is a stranger, everyone is merely a friend waiting to happen.  How marvelous that Ben noticed this magnificent gift from his sister.