Rashes, Crashes, Flashes and Splashes

Marcel's diaper rash covered uncharted territory. I fancy myself an expert on few things, but I certainly thought I had this one tied up, so to speak. Wrong. In my defense, he is on Augmentin, know in pediatric circles as poopmentin. (To treat last week's pink eye and ear infection combo platter.) After finally getting that sorted out, to the point where he can wear clothing again, (with lotrimin, yes the athletes foot antifungal cream) Marcel changed courses dramatically when he tripped over a round block, and took a chunk out of the window sill. With blood drizzling down his chin like a new snow melting spring stream he looked at me in complete panic. Or was that me panicking? Happy to report that I didn't. Panic. As Sam slept through the entire event less than four feet away in front of the heater on the kitchen floor (the desire to get "up" before Marcel is creating strange habits over here) I applied pressure with a dish cloth and watched in awe as the tooth, which was almost a 90 degree angle to Marcel's face righted itself magically before my eyes. Sam awoke to Marcel bloody face and neck asleep in my arms. Seeing my blood splattered robe and neck Sam rightly inquires; "Mom what are you doing?"

Several hours later after attending Rohan Henry (The Perfect Gift) and Charlotte Agell's (Dancing Feet, I Wear Long Green Hair in the Summer)Martin Luther King Day Childrens Event and reading on the Bowdoin Campus, we explored. Grampy went to college here, I explained, and one day you might too. I realized the power of those words. Soon, I will be sitting in the audience watching him cross the stage of one graduation ceremony and another, until finally this one. The lion(s) in winter, is in front of the Bowdoin Art Museum.

Splashes you ask--didn't I miss one? Sam and I watching a You Tube video montage of Dr. King, and Obama, and many others allowed me a moment to let some of this in. And out. I cried a few little tears, but then like Marcel's gums, sucked it in back in. Not yet. How about tomorrow when Sam is on my lap at school surrounded by my students, and colleagues watching as Obama says; "I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." How about we all just wait and see what that collective moment of exhultation brings out of us. Amen.