Flu, Doctors and Boys

I have a general tolerance for sick kids of about 24 hours. Kate is well beyond that scope and as much as I love that child and she loves being with me, it is time for sister to be all better now. Please and thank you. Her surgical recovery went smoothly enough she has her heart set on tennis tryouts next week and resuming gymnastics next month. The Lord was with the surgeon on Thursday as Kate plead her case. Because if our active kiddo was told to rest one more time, I think we would have seen a very colorful side of our generally easy going Kate. And her mom may have shed tears. For real.

Her flu diagnosis on Monday was the absolute last thing she wanted and the shocking news she needed to miss a solid week of school to recover felt like a physical punch in the gut. I anticipate some hate mail from the middle school attendance office and rightfully so; two solid weeks off in three weeks is not good for anyone. But because no matter how miserable she feels, she still wants to "do something" all the time and resting is absolutely no longer on her radar or within her ability, sister needs to move and socialize and be away from her mom for a few hours. Amen.

Our adorable grandson celebrated his first birthday with his parents at an aquarium in Dallas checking out sharks Thursday. I think the kids found a beautiful way to have a low-key celebration that didn't overwhelm Austin. But how that sweet and happy boy is already one is beyond me as every moment of his birth is still fresh in my mind. I still feel such joy every video chat as he grins and expresses his growing personality. He is a delight and he is coming for a visit tomorrow! For one day of their ten day visit, we will all be together and I will be in my exhausted, chaotic happy place. This is the stuff. It really is.

Our son is in a precarious situation at school. Makenna now works as an aid in his building in addition to running the before and after school childcare program. As result, she is tough on kids when she needs to be and not all her little friends appreciate this about her. There have been some complaints to Ty and he has decided to distance himself from culpability. He is denying they are related and we are cracking up. This solidifies my decision to wait another year before going to work in that building myself. I would love to serve alongside the teachers who have done so much for our kids but think Ty needs to have moved onto the middle school before he has another strong personality in his space. Because as it turns out, I can be pretty tough on kids who don't like to follow rules too.