The Few and Far Between

Because of Jack's back and all of our vomiting, diarrhea and sharting (oh, yes, on the couch), we've been confined to this house WAY more than usual. It's hard to battle the TV and Wii, but several times over the last few weeks there have been some happy times sans electronics.

Reading the first Harry Potter to Finn, who begs me not to stop. Many Sorry games and BeyBlade Battles (if you don't know BeyBlades, be glad).

It's these few and far-between moments that really show the goodness that each of my kids has that so often goes unrecognized by me.

About two weeks ago when we began the rearranging to fit Baby Maeve into the House of Testosterone, we gathered all of our Thomas the Tank Engine stuff, an entire decade of painted wooden overpriced trains and track and bridges and tunnels, and moved it all into the living room.

For almost 2 hours today all four boys, ages 3 to 10, played WITHOUT FIGHTING, with the trains. There were laughs and train noises and little people working together to build one elaborate track.

It's so cliche to say, but : PRICELESS.

The best quote was: "Hey, look how big my balls are!" Ahhh, how will a girl fit into this household? I feel for parents of all-girl households, for ye will never know the joys of "balls".

Sidenote: In the middle of writing this post I had a phone call from a mother of one of Jack's best friends who told me that her 13 year old nephew died yesterday. He went to sleep Thursday night and never woke up.

Every parent's worst nighmare.

I don't know this family. Nor can I come close to imagining their pain. Selfishly, I hope I never do. My thoughts are with them.