The Little Things

Last night as I rocked her to sleep, I realized I could feel swelling in O’s neck. Her cold wasn’t getting better. It wasn’t going to go away on its own. Not this time.

I told Tom, who was sprawled on the couch with Alyssa draped over him, that O needed to see the doctor today.

He nodded, not questioning my judgment.

This morning we all rolled out of bed and began our morning routines.

It was understood without words that O would stay home with Tom and I’d call the doctor’s office at 9am to see what time they could get her in.

He fed the girls while I packed Alyssa’s lunch and he watched for the bus with them as I drove off to work.

I called him after talking to the doctor’s office and scheduling an appointment for 1:30. I assured him that there would be no forms. He hates forms, detests them, thinks of them in much the same way I think about grody things like worms or shrimp.

He called about an hour before the appointment, asking where I’d put the flexible spending credit card.

Hmmmm, I thought. Then I remembered and saved the day. But while I was thinking, I offered to just meet him and O at the doctor’s office and we’d just use my copy of the card, which was safely ensconced in my wallet where all good credit cards should be.

Once he’d found his own copy, it was decided I would not make the three mile drive from work to the doctor’s office to pay for the co-pay.

But then I remembered that I needed to go the bank for work anyway and since the bank is next door to our doctor’s office, I’d just stop in and say hi.

I got there and Tom was being handed four forms by the receptionist, who was telling him that they’d joined a physicians group and that was why the forms were necessary.

The look of relief on his face when he saw me made me laugh. Again, I’d saved the day.

But really, he was saving the day. He’d brought our sick little girl to the doctor at my request. He’d fed her breakfast and lunch and dressed her warmly for the drive and there they were, two of my very favorite people in the world, both so happy to see me.

It really is the littlest things that show how much we love our people. Filling out forms for a husband who is form-phobic. Staying with the sick child because your wife has to punch a figurative time clock. These things matter. And tonight, I’ll remind him of how much HE matters.

I’m one of the lucky ones and I’m glad that I know it.

PS Thank you, Lauren for the wise advice on teaching O to blow her nose. I do think, though, that if we decide to go the straw route, I'll set a few aside that are only for putting up our noses. You're seriously some kind of awesome.