office interuptus

My day began as usual.

Meeting at 9. LOTs of important discussions and decisions.

Mid-meeting my silent phone lit up. It's the elementary school calling. So I excuse myself and answer. (Why do I forget WHY the elementary school would call in the middle of a meeting?)

Of course. School nurse.

Bradley has thrown up twice. (TWICE??? They usually call on the first instance of something of this nature.) He's feeling horrible and we need to come pick him up.

Of course I DID ask if there were any witnesses to the moments of illness. Regardless, of the response - as good parents (and school policy), we made arrangements to share the responsibility of being home with him. Todd Owen took the morning, I took the afternoon (after my meeting was over).

Skipped lunch - since I was leaving so early - and got as much completed as possible and packed a few projects to take home with me.

Once home, I'll admit - he looked pale. Ill really - lying on the sofa. He tells me that he's thrown up THREE times today. I ask the husband if he witnessed the moments of illness. Nope, everything happened without parental supervision. We give him a snack. Tell him to lie back down for a little while and Todd Owen heads out to his afternoon appointments while I settle into my comfortable notebook and try to watch for any important work emails.

Once Brooke gets home from school, that's when Bradley REALLY tells us how terrible he's feeling. He reports that he's thrown up for a fourth time.

We establish a new house rule: IF SOMEONE THROWS UP, DO NOT FLUSH. A PARENT MUST SEE THE TOILET WITH THE VOMIT IN IT. (I know - this is really GROSS! Twice in one week. I'm SO sorry!!)

I put Bradley in his bed. Kiss him lightly. Whisper how much I love him and that I'm very sorry that he's feeling SO bad because I really wanted to go ride bikes with him. He asks, "Really?"

Such a dramatic recovery. In less than ten minutes, Bradley bounds into the room and tells me how he is all sparkly, fresh and new again. "It's amazing!" he exclaims.

Yes. It. Is.

And yes - we rode bikes tonight, in celebration of health.