A moment of gratitude

(c)2009,jennifer dennis potter


I am snuggled next to him, a stuffed monkey and a satin-bellied dragon with wings. His hug around my shoulders loosens and I can tell that he is drifting off to sleep. I get up, pull the covers up to his neck and slip out of his room. Yesterday, I got a call from the school nurse that my young son was throwing up. I was able to get over to the school quickly and get him home. I had a wave of gratitude that I was able to get there quickly (I used to work in the next county), didn't have to ask for time off or beg my mother-in-law to watch him that day or the next. He relaxed, drank some gatorade and we watched Three Caballeros. I made some bread in the bread machine and some homemade soup for the rest of the family.

I guess I hope that in doing these things, I'm providing our children with a sense of calm. The sense that someone bigger is taking care of you and you don't have to worry at all that someone might take a long time to pick you up, or that mom's job might be at stake if you are sick too many days. I guess it's a kind of freedom and security that I am trying to allow them by being home. That there is someone bigger than you and you can rely on them.