Well, Now You Know

How many years have I done a good job watching kids? Well, a fairly good job. I blew it all on Thursday. My history is shot. I had AnnMarie's three youngest (the two oldest were at youth conference with Brandon) and Eric's four. It had rained all day long. Finally, about 3 p.m. the sun came out. I decided it would be good for all of us to get out of the house. The older kids headed for the swings. I have a horrible fear of some little kid running in front of a swing and getting cut. That happened to Melanie when she was two while I was watching all the kids in the ward during a funeral. At any rate, I was playing with Rachel over by the pear tree. I pulled up some weeds and showed her the worms. Then Megan and Jason climbed up the apple tree. Everyone else was still on the swings. In just a second, Maddie had tried to climb the tree. She slipped and fell and caught herself with her right arm. She broke her wrist. We got her in the house and laid her on the floor by the fridge. That kept her arm flat. I filled a baggie with crushed ice and put it on her arm. Then I made a sling out of an old sheet that I tore up and put a big sweater of mine around her. Meanwhile, Dad called Amy and Eric. We got the kids in the car and then got Maddie in. We gave her a fleece blanket to rest her arm on during the ride and Dad took them to Payson to the emergency ward. He stopped by their house and Jason took charge of the other kids while Dad went on to the hospital. Thank goodness her arm did not swell so that she could have a cast right away. Her arm sure looked awful but she was very brave and barely cried, only a bit when it first happened and then when I got her arm in the sling. After that, she didn't shed anymore tears. Of course, she broke her right arm. So much for the summer and swimming. Love, Dumdum