Vacation Friday

Usually on a Friday before vacation, I'm filled with the kind of bubbly, positive energy that makes people with normal jobs want to punch all teachers in the face.   But this dreary, sleeting afternoon, I dragged myself over the threshold by the tips of my fingernails, hair akimbo, sweatpants at the ready, the local pizza delivery place on standby.  It was a rough week.  I need a break.  Everyone at my school needs a break.

We experienced a tragedy at work this week.  Loss of this kind is never easy, but it's particularly difficult watching a group of kids trying to grapple with the aftermath.

Meanwhile, on a much lesser note, after a long, emotionally-draining day at work on Wednesday, I entered Madeline's daycare to find her screaming hysterically from the safety of one of her teacher's arms.  They told me that she had started crying in her sleep, and they were unable to calm her down.  It sounded like she had a nightmare, but Madeline's never reacted in that way toward a bad dream.

I got her home without tears, but as soon as we pulled in the driveway she began howling again.  Every two minutes, the cycle would repeat.  She'd press her face into my should, grimace, and begin howling uncontrollably.  It was the cherry on top of a completely shitty day.  (Forgive my language.)    

I was pretty freaked out by her behavior, and after hours of little sleep, little food, and a lot of turmoil, one's mind leaps to the worst conclusions.  So, when she rubbed her neck and jaw, I asked Eric, "What if she has meningitis?!"

In typical Eric fashion, he shrugged his shoulders, and calmly answered, "We'll bring her in to get checked out."  

A moment later Madeline calmed down enough to tell me her ear and mouth hurt.  It's so nice that she can communicate now!  Sure enough, the doctor confirmed that she had a pretty nasty ear infection on one side.  Poor baby.

Antibiotics are God's miracle.  And whoever decided to make the stuff pink is a genius, because if it's pink, Madeline will try it.  (That's also how we get her to eat salmon.)  After a few hours, she was back to her normal self.

So although it's been a rough week, and it's raining, and Madeline was sick...really, I just feel so, so lucky.

I'm lucky that my family is healthy, and that we can cuddle under a warm blanket to ride out this rain storm together.  I can put my little girl to bed tonight and kiss her in the morning.  I'm lucky to respect and admire my coworkers in times of both crisis and calm.  I'm lucky that I work with such amazing kids who made me so proud this week.  I'm blessed for the reminder that life is fragile, to appreciate it, and live it fully everyday.