Grateful

Today was that day. You know, the one where it seems like everything goes wrong.
I woke up in a foul mood- that should have been my warning- and I distinctly remember saying to Aaron "don't mess with me today."
Gabe woke up ornery and couldn't seem to not get in trouble every 30 seconds. Literally.
Aaron was rushing to get to work on time.

After breakfast was cooked and the mess cleaned, and after Gabe and I were both showered/bathed and ready for the day, I went to take the mail out. We needed to get out of the house, if even for a few seconds. You know those days, right? Where even a ten second walk to the mailbox feels like heaven? I slipped on Aaron's shoes, picked Gabe up, and headed out the door. We put the bills in the mailbox and started our walk back when I slipped on some ice. It happened pretty fast, but I fell on my side... the side I was carrying Gabe on. He was spread eagle on the driveway, stunned. I won't forget his face for a long time. His eyes were wide, and then the hysterical scream/cry/choking sound started. I knew he had hit his head, and because it happened so fast, I hadn't been able to cushion him. There was no doubt he needed to get checked out. I ran in, called Aaron (who couldn't understand a word of what I was saying other than "emergency room"), grabbed Gabe's shoes and socks and we left.

When I got to the ER, I mentioned that I wanted to be checked out too because I hadn't felt Claire move and I had landed on the side of my stomach. The nurse briefly peeked at Gabe and said he looked stable and okay and that I should go up to labor & delivery first... and that if Gabe worsened while we were up there, they could send someone to go get him. So, off we went. What I didn't know and wasn't told was that kids under four aren't allowed up there right now due to flu/RSV season! We checked in, I was hooked up to the monitor, and had to call my friend Belinda (who has a four-month-old herself!) to keep Gabe. Aaron couldn't leave work, and I didn't think I'd be there long. Well, go figure that after about twenty minutes on the monitor I began having regular contractions every 2-3 minutes. I was given a shot of morphine, which did NOTHING except make me sleepy, and then two additional shots of terbutaline over the course of six hours. Eventually the contractions subsided and I was released. Sore, bruised, and exhausted but thankfully ok. Aaron picked up Gabe from Belinda's and met me at the emergency room so we could finally get Gabe looked at.

Well, the place was packed so once again the nurse just briefly looked at him and said she thought he was fine. She offered to put us on the list to see a doctor if we wanted to but warned me it would be quite a long wait with a lot of sick people around. She said that because he hadn't thrown up and didn't appear dizzy, he was probably fine. We decided to take our poor boy home and recover back here. He has a big lump (or two or three) on the back of his head and his little skull is pretty bruised but he does seem to be fine other than not having any desire to eat or drink. We're hoping he'll feel better in the morning.

Today? I'm grateful.
Grateful that above all, Gabe (& Claire!) are ok.
Grateful that I have an awesome set of friends and family who could pray for us.
Grateful for modern medicine.
Grateful that my perspective on what a "bad day" is has changed.

I hope that tomorrow, if I wake up in a foul mood and Gabe wakes up onery again, I'll just be grateful that we're together as a family, safe in our home.