One

TE had back-to-back specialty appointments today. Thankfully they were in the same building. But 2+ hours is a long time - a really long time - for a toddler in waiting rooms and exam rooms. Let’s just say we made our presence known. We arrived at the second appointment, which I was totally (naively) expecting to be super fast. We had one major meltdown in the first exam room, got it together, and the nurse came back to take us to the second room for the exam with the doctor. Well, that’s what I thought. She was there to dilate T’s eyes after which we would go to a dark waiting room for a half hour. Oh a half hour in a dark room with an already tired and cranky toddler? Super great. This is great. What did I have in the diaper bag for such a time as this? I had diapers. And wipes. And a cup she had already drained dry. Two other moms were there with their children, who I have to say were intimidatingly quiet. The selection of books in this dark waiting room was sad. After t...

Here I sit. Waiting for my daughter. As a homeschooling parent I have to admit I’m not as practiced at this as many of my peers. It still sometimes feels a bit foreign that she is growing into a life outside of our home. Hear me- it’s a good and wonderful thing and I’m thankful for it. It sometimes just feels foreign. Tonight we planned to end our summer break at a local lakeside beach. We had a picnic dinner packed, suits on, sand toys stashed in bags. We were halfway there when the promised “20% chance of rain” turned into a severe thunderstorm warning. We continued on in hopes that it would blow over. It did not. And so we were ending our summer with an unexpectedly pointless road trip in swim wear. We were all so disappointed... everyone but our 13 year old daughter. Going to the beach meant not going to meet with her small group of 8th grade girls. While the rest of the family fought disappointment about the beach, hopeful tears brimmed in her eyes as she asked if she co...