To be a kid

     I headed down to Statesville with McKala and 4 kiddos 5 years old and younger.  And, no, I never had any intention of getting them out, to climb all over the bleachers (the old fashioned kind they'd likely end up dangling from), to watch McKala's basketball game.  Madalynn was having bouts of nausea, so we took an ice cream bucket.  I can just about guaran-dang-tee you she got a stomach virus from the ER while we were there to see about complications from Fifth Disease only to find she had never gotten well from that God forsaken cold we all had.                                                                                                                      
     First things first, I had to make sure the boys didn't need to pee, so I took one over to the grass.  I can say with some certainty that peeing outside is learned because he became almost hysterical that it was an unnatural act or maybe it's just that we're still setting them on a "potty" seat, selfishly to keep all that where it's supposed to be.  I surely wish I could've switched with his innocent "release" since I had fueled up on caffeine before the endeavor to keep a "cheerful" attitude.                                                                             
     I decided to sit with them to watch the movie and I'm thinking I wouldn't mind doing that again, kinda like chasing them up to the top bunk and sprawling out there chattering about whatever.   It was cozy and they were much impressed to have a grown up in the "back of the bus", and to have fries fed to them one by one is pretty good service, although I was doing it to save the van and myself from any evidence of food trespass.                                                                                                                                                      
     I'm holding weak Madalynn and thinking how nice it would be to have someone hold the bowl when the heaves come, while having hair smoothed back and sweet words whispered nearby.  Then again, not every child has that luxury.  So I'm gonna be glad I have this sick one to care for and that she has me.  There should be plenty of days for spying into their world: swinging, jumping, swimming, pretending....and if I'd play more often, I wouldn't have to work quite so much at being fit - more balance between their day and mine to achieve here.