Sitting here tonite, listening to the crooning Harry Connick Jr. sing me some jazzy Christmas tunes. Melting my feet on the fireplace hearth. Contemplating the unfolding of the day that will be known as Today.
Just another half day of school. The kids have one a month. Plus a day off. Every month. Remember when we yearned for snow days to have just one day off from school? Nowadays days off from school are a dime a dozen. Who needs snow days?
We had our usual plethora of kids over after a half day of school. Pookie's friend comes over so her parents can attend the teacher meetings that go on during these half days. Meiners and his li'l buddy didn't finish building their train track this morning, so Li'l Buddy came back over to complete it. T's friend joined us a little later. Sashi flew solo (or with her best pal - me!)
We decided it might be fun to build gingerbread houses. Only one out of the 7 kids had ever built a gingerbread house before. Just imagine 6 plates of graham crackers, 6 bowls of frosting, 12 candy topping choices, and the tasty chaos that ensued. We had so much fun!
The teacher called. Pookie's been asking to go to the nurse's office. Often. Every day. As parents began arriving for pick-up, more kids climbed out of cars to come inside. The doctor's office called. They wanted to take a look at Pooks due to the asthma symptoms. I sent one friend home with another friend's mom. My kids piled into the van. Baby had no shoes. Socks were found shoved under the van seat. Good enough. We made it to the doctor's office only a few minutes late.
No pneumonia. No strep. Maintain asthma protocol. Looks pale. Call me if anything changes. While I have you, Doc, she has these headaches. She's leaving class several times a day. She vomited once. A neurologist? I've always brushed them aside as inconsequential. When do you know? When do you know your baby's really hurting? Or maybe she's just being dramatic and likes the attention? When do you draw the line - that a chiropractor for posture, a dietician for weight gain, a psychologist for anxiety plus the dermatologist, the pulmonologist, the cardiologist, and the pediatrician are truly enough? At least the gastroenterologist d/c'd her.
My thoughts turn to dear Gus who is in the Cardiac ICU tonite with myocarditis. He's 9, probably close to if not 10 now. The scrappiest little kid that must just keep his mama on her toes, I'm telling you. Broke his arm just before heart camp a few years ago and didnotletitstophim. At all. My heart goes out to him and to his family. On a healthy and normal path for years. Now visiting the hospital once again. In good hands. I'm praying for his strength. And his mama's. He has a li'l sis that needs her big brother and her family back together again. God Bless them.
I think of a little girl I saw at the medical building today. In her wheel chair.
I see in my mind's eye the accident we passed on our way home from the doctor. Ambulance. Fire trucks. Light pole. Cars. We thanked God outloud that Dr. Ortiz kept us a few extra minutes tonite. Or we kept her.
The tapestry of life.
Just another day.
Just another half day of school. The kids have one a month. Plus a day off. Every month. Remember when we yearned for snow days to have just one day off from school? Nowadays days off from school are a dime a dozen. Who needs snow days?
We had our usual plethora of kids over after a half day of school. Pookie's friend comes over so her parents can attend the teacher meetings that go on during these half days. Meiners and his li'l buddy didn't finish building their train track this morning, so Li'l Buddy came back over to complete it. T's friend joined us a little later. Sashi flew solo (or with her best pal - me!)
We decided it might be fun to build gingerbread houses. Only one out of the 7 kids had ever built a gingerbread house before. Just imagine 6 plates of graham crackers, 6 bowls of frosting, 12 candy topping choices, and the tasty chaos that ensued. We had so much fun!
The teacher called. Pookie's been asking to go to the nurse's office. Often. Every day. As parents began arriving for pick-up, more kids climbed out of cars to come inside. The doctor's office called. They wanted to take a look at Pooks due to the asthma symptoms. I sent one friend home with another friend's mom. My kids piled into the van. Baby had no shoes. Socks were found shoved under the van seat. Good enough. We made it to the doctor's office only a few minutes late.
No pneumonia. No strep. Maintain asthma protocol. Looks pale. Call me if anything changes. While I have you, Doc, she has these headaches. She's leaving class several times a day. She vomited once. A neurologist? I've always brushed them aside as inconsequential. When do you know? When do you know your baby's really hurting? Or maybe she's just being dramatic and likes the attention? When do you draw the line - that a chiropractor for posture, a dietician for weight gain, a psychologist for anxiety plus the dermatologist, the pulmonologist, the cardiologist, and the pediatrician are truly enough? At least the gastroenterologist d/c'd her.
My thoughts turn to dear Gus who is in the Cardiac ICU tonite with myocarditis. He's 9, probably close to if not 10 now. The scrappiest little kid that must just keep his mama on her toes, I'm telling you. Broke his arm just before heart camp a few years ago and didnotletitstophim. At all. My heart goes out to him and to his family. On a healthy and normal path for years. Now visiting the hospital once again. In good hands. I'm praying for his strength. And his mama's. He has a li'l sis that needs her big brother and her family back together again. God Bless them.
I think of a little girl I saw at the medical building today. In her wheel chair.
I see in my mind's eye the accident we passed on our way home from the doctor. Ambulance. Fire trucks. Light pole. Cars. We thanked God outloud that Dr. Ortiz kept us a few extra minutes tonite. Or we kept her.
The tapestry of life.
Just another day.
