and she's out!

While Crab's kickball team was doing their warm-up tonight, I saw that a friend was at the playground with her 3 smaller children (her oldest daughter is on Crab's team). I let R know that I had a chair for her to sit in as she is 32 weeks pregnant and should *not* be standing during a whole kickball game.  I returned to set up our chairs for the game and saw R jump to her feet.  She grabbed one of her kids from the ground and then I could no longer see what was happening.  I was wondering, "What on earth?  Is someone hurt?  Does she need a first aid kit?"

I started walking over to the play area.  And as I did I saw one of R's children getting R's purse.  At that point I knew there was a problem.  R came out from behind trees and said, "I don't know what's wrong?!  She never acts like this..."  Her littlest had fallen from the top of the play set and had landed on her back.

At this point I tell R to get in the back of my car and I can drive to the hospital.  We have three kids, two adults, and two mobile phones in a car that can't get down the street because the speed limit is 35 and everyone is actually *following* it!

I ran two red lights and then ran into the hospital to tell them that a little one had fallen, we suspected a neck or back injury, that she was lucid but trying to fall asleep.  R was teary and worried.  Her husband got there and was agitated.  I proceeded with the plan to take her twins back to the game with me to meet their grandmother. And at this point I started to feel sick to *my* stomach.  And I was sweating all over.  Wow, talk about an emotional roller coaster.**

I got back to the game to watch the somewhat miserable game and listened to R's mother-in-law and brother-in-law making plans for all of the kids.  R and her husband are very fortunate to have extended family close by and willing to help.***

And now I'm able to get to the point of this story.


Poor little Crab valiantly joked, teased, and laughed with her friend in the car after school.  She told me she had a headache, but apparently I am a totally bad mom and didn't realize how bad she felt.

She had a kickball game -- and felt that her team was depending on her -- and if she had left school early she would not have been able to play in the game.

I took her temp after the game because she was crying and miserable and thought I hadn't even stayed to watch her game.  She played for her team with a fever of 101.7F.

I am officially the worst parent ever.

Yesterday 11 kids from the Chix's grade were called in as "ill" prior to the start of school.  Four more left before lunch.  Three more left after lunch.  For a total of 18 missing from their grade.  That's a third of their grade.

Yike.

Today "only" eleven were missing.  One of them has mono.  Three of them have strep throat.

Tomorrow...at least two will be missing, and *both* will be mine!

---

 **R's twins were hilarious - they kept complimenting me on my car & telling me stories about who their twin loved and "of course" they loved their mom, they were a welcome distraction!
***R and her husband are still at the hospital with their 3-yr-old.  She has IV fluids, has had xrays and is awaiting a CAT scan.  Prayers & well wishes are appreciated!