So, Now You Know, Comments

After having so many children, you should realize that you can't save them from everything. How were you to know that she would fall and break her wrist. She isn't going to hold you responsible. You know you can't keep children in a bubble. If you are responsible for that, then I need to be held responsible for Siovhan breaking her ankle because I allowed her to take band and then I am responsible for Braden's broken arm, because he was playing tag and fell on the sidewalk. Things like this happen. Ask my other
siblings how they feel when bad things happen to their children. Most of the time we with our children when these things happen, it doesn't make it anything but an accident. I know that you will show and increased love to Maddie and she will enjoy that. Be glad that it happened during the summer and not during the school year. (I was going to say "Fall," but knew that Shawn would say, 'Melanie, it did happen during the fall.' " 

I love you and know that you love the grandchildren. My siblings know that
you love their children. 

Melanie

I am sorry that Maddie got hurt. I hope she is feeling somewhat better today. I am also sorry it happened while you were watching. Melanie is right, but whenever a child is hurt on our watch it is always easy to question yourself. Melanie is also right that I might have said it did happen during the fall, but I might have also said that it happened at the beginning of the winter (it wasn't the fall that hurt her, but the abrupt ending of the fall, that would make it the winter). Not to contribute to your feeling of worry Mom, but next time maybe you should just send her outside with a salt shaker and a mission--like your grandma did to you. I can still almost picture you chasing around after the slightly concerned robins.

Love,

Shawn

...or even better, give her the salt shaker, pull up some weeds near the
pear tree, show her the worms and let nature take its course. Cousin Don
used to feed kids cat-food while he was watching them and his mother was at
the store. He didn't spoon it to them, he just pointed them to the "snacks"
in the dish on the floor.

I hope all is well with Maddie. It was all an accident. I think we all
have at least one scar from an accident of some sort. Of the collection God
gave me, I only have one digit of the ten on my hands that is scar-free.
Four of those scars happened in the time I have been married. It's all part
of growing up and unfortunately, I am still growing up.

Love you.

- Todd