Gratitude

I know my kids get sick of me; it's natural to get annoyed with someone who continually tells you want to do, what to wear, and when to work on that ultra pain-in-the-butt thing called homework.  I must admit there are times I think my kids take us for granted and yet I am sure someday they will see all that my husband and I do for them - but for now I think their love is enough.  

With that said, I think that kids today often fail to be grateful for people outside their immediate family.  And I am not talking about teacher's (teacher appreciation week is next month, and yes my kids will be doing something for them!) What about neighbors that put up with the constant yelling and trampling of their yards?  What about people at church who help guide and support?  What about tutors and coaches?  

What bothers me the most is that my kids (as well as myself) often forget to say thank you to those that mean the most to us.  

And so, I am torturing my children, once again, with an appreciation project.  I made these little wall hangings with either the word appreciation, grateful, or thankfulness.  On the front was how to enunciate the word, while on the back I posed the question, "how do I say thank you?" and the boys wrote a thank you note to the person(s) of their choosing.  

It was sweet to read their notes - heck if I do it enough maybe by the time they are my age they will have learned not to take people for granted!!!

Mom, I think I broke my arm!

I can't tell you how many times I have heard this sentence.  It is usually followed up with a sarcastic, "Oh, really well can you do this?" and I wiggle my arm around like an octopus on a sugar rush.  The usual answer is, "well yah - see!"  And then the drama is over.

Not yesterday.

I heard Kyle coming in from outside mumbling over and over, "Oh, I think I broke my arm.  Oh, I think I broke my arm."  Now, most of you know Kyle - he ISN'T quiet at all - ever.  So when he is quietly mumbling to himself there is something wrong.  I helped him inside and tried the octopus trick and he gave it a valiant shot but I could even see that something was wrong.

After calling in a second opinion (Jason, who happened to be close by) and a third opinion (Kyle's second mother - Caitlin, our next door neighbor) we hoped in the car and went off to the ER.  Being that this is our family's 7th visit you'd think we'd have priority status and our own suite - but we don't - you'd even think I would have brought something home to document this occasion  - well of course I did!

This is Kyle getting ready to have his arm "set" back into place and get a temporary cast put on.  

Kyle was VERY surprised at how heavy the cast was!

This is Kyle's "Toaster Strudel" hand.  They put some medicine on his hand to numb it and Kyle thought it was funny because it looks like the frosting packet of a toaster strudel (can you tell what my kids have for breakfast sometimes?)  

And this is sweet Kyle before we even had an x-ray done.  He was such a sport and went 2 1/2 hrs without any pain medicine until they figured out what they were going to do.  He was such a trooper!

And of course a blog wouldn't be complete without a little video....of Kyle after getting his arm set and casted.  The medicine hadn't worn off and my already loopy son was even more loopy than normal.  The video cuts off at the end when he warns EVERYONE NOT TO BREAK THEIR ARMS!!  Genius!  

Oh and the ice pack on the head was dad just preparing him for the "needle" comment!  

So for all those that called us, thank you - he is doing well and will get his "real" cast on Tuesday!!  And for those curious about the story (how he did it) this is it, as recited to me by Kyle:

"So I was up on a sorta steep driveway and then I hit a rock and my skateboard stopped and I went flying, my entire body curled up and I fell on my arm and it twisted.  I felt this big snap."

The End.  

Where o' where did I go?

It was the holiday's - I swear!  There's just so much going on that I get all twitterpated (Ha! I've always wanted to use that word in a post!) Anyway I was too twitterpated for my own good and eventually lost track of blogging.....until now!  I know you are all excited....because.....guess....what??????  Now I have ANOTHER blog! (yes, I am officially crazy!) 

Erika (my wonderful friend and fellow-aspiring-author) and I have started www.literaryrebound.blogspot.com.  

I would love to tell you all about it, but then how would we get people to check it out???  So I am going to be a brat and leave you in suspense.......

(PS - this is your clue to click on the link and check it out!)

:)