Relax

Our neighborhood has an artist who surprises different people with handpainted rocks. This week we received this sweet little tree swing. The smile was a gift also discovered on our mailbox back in March when we were all in quarantine. I treasure them both.

Lauren has been working with Austin on self control. She has taught him to take deep breaths when he is upset and calmly say, "relax". He has started using the word relax when he is wound up or upset. Sunday they called to video chat and after he said hello, Lauren reminded him to pick up his play room. He declined by saying, "I need to relax" and went into his room to lay down. He is two and thought he'd found a loop hole. His momma is pretty smart though. After he relaxed, she again pointed out the toy room and hung up the phone before a meltdown ensued. 

Ty was dehydrated Sunday and got sick after a hot shower that night. He was certain he had scored Monday out of school. Much to his dismay, he was fever free, able to hold down several cups of water and pizza afterward so he was sent to school. Thank God I know the principal and he was able to warn his teacher before Ty announced he was sick at school. Two things. One, I will now give parents the benefit of doubt when a kid says they were sick before school. Two, rumor has it the boy is researching how to make a vomit-like substance to fake out his mom and actually score a day off. Suddenly, there was a role reversal. Ty was using problem solving skills and I was reminding myself hands are not for hitting. I had a deep seeded urge to play whack a mole on the boy's head. It's going to be a long year...

Monday Kate started physical therapy for her knee and was a rock star. I was impressed with her determination. And then we attended Freshman night out and a parents meeting with the principal. It was a fairly encouraging discussion. Despite the success of the evening, Kate too, would have  liked to have called in sick this year and continued begging for the virtual school option. Anxiety was running high around here.

Erin and Tim haven't been able to spend time with us much due to repeated exposures in the medical field so we are grateful when they share hiking photos with us.

Erin was once again exposed to covid at work. This time, the exposure was so widespread they closed her clinic. So despite being screened just two weeks prior, Erin was once again tested. She is enduring another quarantine and has been set back another two weeks from returning to her second job. At some point, this "new normal" has to involve less panic at every positive test. But the closure meant an early wrap-up of her current position with the dental school. She starts her next chapter as soon as she is cleared to begin work again with another clinic through UofL. Her covid test was once again negative. All of her close contact co-workers were positive this round.

Tuesday night as we prepared for bed, Kate was invited to the wrong period google class by one teacher and then was invited to another class that was not on her schedule. As she investigated, she discovered the original schedule they sent her was no longer accurate.  She practiced walking to all of her classes several times the last few weeks and had been as confident as kid is walking into high school for the first time could be. A full-blown bedtime panic attack occurred thanks to the last minute changes. 

My infamous dad likes to say, "like a shot in the dark, we're off" and Wednesday Kate, Makenna and I all returned to school. Never before have I felt my dad's words quite so fully. I dropped a very nervous Kate at the door to navigate a completely different schedule and prayed she was met with grace by her teachers. And then I went to work. I am supporting a brand new kindergarten  teacher this year and the first days wiped me out. Kate; however, had a great week despite the schedule challenges. She loves her teachers and is anticipating a successful year regardless of all the misgivings she had entering the school Wednesday morning. 

Thursday, Kate was attending school virtually so that freed up part of my morning commute. Ty and I were able to talk for a bit in the morning where he declared he would be going virtual if his lunch order was messed up again. Prince Charming is reasonable. I have no words.

Friday. Oh, sweet Friday. It was a long week. We will find our footing soon enough but trekking back into school with all the twists and turns of doing so during a pandemic wore me out. The kids suggested milkshakes might help. I opted instead for an early bedtime but they were happy to celebrate the end of the week without me.