Catching up

We spent yesterday morning at the outpatient surgery unit of a local hospital. A year of ear and sinus infections came to it's seemingly inevitable conclusion when Mr. First Grade got tubes put in his ears and adenoids taken out of his head. He's already hearing better and slept like a log last night. He spent the rest of yesterday and will spend most of today building puzzles, coloring and watching movies. Don't wanna bump that nose on anything. It reminded me of something I wrote around his fifth birthday, when the roller coaster ride of infections kicked into high gear, kitty was still alive and I was very thankful for a little discovery called penicillin.

This is the smile … the smirk … the kiss I wouldn’t have each day if life went “according to plan.” This is the place where new ideas are voiced, where passion is expressed, and where vegetables shall never trespass.

This is the smile of a boy who will now be known as Mr. 5, whose smile greets me each morning over the top of a Pop Tart box and whose lips each day utter the words “Oh, Mommy, I just love you!”

This is also the place where the amoxicillin began its attack on the double ear infection that felled him. He’s back from the 102-degree brink, so many, many thanks to the scientist who figured out mold can kill more than cheese.

These same scientists should be thanked for keeping kitty from peeing everywhere except the litter box. Poor little furry witch. Born on a farm, she has little use for people, except Hubby, who feeds her. And she especially dislikes me as I am the one who administers her antibiotic, which has killed the urinary tract infection. If you have never given a pill to a cat, there is no way to describe to you the noises that emanate from deep within her. They are lion-sized! Fur flies. Claws flail, but I love her and I stay until the pill is down. Sometimes this takes three or four tries, but how do I explain not helping kitty to that sweet-smiled boy?

So, life didn’t go exactly according to plan last week, but that’s OK. Even with modern science there's no planning the moment when a child will enter your life, no planning when he will get sick or when he will get better. There's just great joy when he arrives safely and great relief when he feels better. Besides, if life didn’t happen while I was planning other things I might run out of steamed vegetables at dinner each night and eat the Pop Tarts myself each morning.

So yes, great joy when he arrived safely from surgery ... I've never been through anything like that nor had any of my kids and I don't like anesthesia. And I'm also finding great relief in his comments about things being too loud.

In other news, the first full weeks of summer vacation have been eventfully uneventful. There's been the pool, the water gun fights, the barbecues the scrapbooking days with friends. In other words, full days of relaxation. I love summer break. Big Big news for Mr. Third Grade ... He's off on that two-wheeler and no one can stop him! He has the scabbed knees to prove the hard work he's put in these few weeks and is champing at the bit to stretch my apron strings.

Now, an update on Ready, Set, Relax. Calendars in a place as enormous as a school district begin to come together well before I'm thinking about buying notebooks and new jeans. The board has been working hard to find a date that will work for the upcoming school year, and I might know something more concrete this week. I've been spurred on by the support of one of the assistant superintendents and by the the board's efforts to make something work in the upcoming school year instead of putting it off until 2008-2009. I'll update as soon as I know more.

One last thing ... The Lady Fourth Grade and I together selected a cook book at the end-of-the-year book fair and the kids are having a blast. I've had to up the output of all the recipes because they've been cooking these snacky recipes as family night dinners so Daddy can try them, too. I'll put the homemade chicken fingers in sometime this week. But the following is such an amazing thirst quencher I have to share it for this roasty weekend. Make it with a short person you love and Enjoy!

Party Punch

(From Better Homes and Gardens Snack Attack!)
2 cups cherry juice blend (we used Juicy Juice)
1 6-oz. can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
3 11-oz. bottles cherry flavored sparkling water
Ice

Combine the juice and water and chill until just before serving. Stir in sparkling water and enjoy!