Semi-Highlights

I don’t quite have the energy for a Sierra Highlight this week, so I’m just going to log down a few things that are going on.

General State of Things:

We all are in various stages of a cold. Sean and Kieron came down with it while we were travelling (and Sean was here). Then I got it. Now Brendan, Paddy and Aidan. Kevin and Clare don’t seem to have it yet.

Weather:

Cooling down, and supposed to cool down still more. I love fall.

This Afternoon:

Sean got to come home early — this is parent/teacher conference week so the bus delivered him at 4 instead of 6. It was SO nice to reconnect with him. He took his shower, did his homework, and talked. …. a lot. We ate dinner. Four seems so much earlier than six, somehow.

His knee is still bothering him. The doctor says it’s OK and he can play past it. So that’s good, but it still hurts.

Formal Academics:

Going pretty well. Kieron is quite into most of the things we are doing. The Morning Time reading and conversation made a big difference. Next on my list, more time outdoors. I know I keep saying that. The problem I think is that by the time the morning is over, I’m tired; and by the time I’ve rested, it’s time to start the “second shift”of evening. I am trying to figure out why I don’t have enough energy for 16 hours. How did I do this when I had an infant and a child on oxygen, or 3 babies under four years old? I’m not THAT old.

Dreams:

I dreamed about constructing parallel and perpendicular lines from an equation, and I dreamed we had brought home a kitty from our friends the Bryans’ house. Strange.

Nine Years Ago:

Aidan was just stepping down from the PICU to the pediatric ward at the San Francisco hospital where he had his transplant. He was on oxygen, G-tube fed with a continuous drip, and on 14 meds which he would reflux at the least opportunity. He was massively immunesuppressed with a huge incision from the transplant. His nurse cried when she was assigned to him. He was SO not ready to be on the floor. And she had already had to call security on a violent teenage patient that day.

Grateful For:

Lots of things.

Reading:

Self-help manuals. They’re my form of escape : ).

Photo:

This is a really nice guy. He’s a star running back in our area, a senior, who is being recruited by D1 universities. He read Aidan’s story on a local football board and sent him a football and a league champion hoodie, with a nice note telling Aidan how much he admired his courage. That is classy.

Something Cute that Aidan Said:

We were at our friends' house in Northerrn California. They have several hens and a couple of roosters. The roosters were crowing early one morning and Aidan tilted his head to one side and said, “That chicken is SINGING.”