And the Winner Is....

We almost made it through an entire week of school this week.

Almost.

At around 1:30 this afternoon, I was about to begin my second math group. I had walked down the hall to retrieve my friends, and our office manager motioned me into the office hurriedly.

When I peeked around the corner, there sat my little one, with a damp cloth on her head. She was so green that at first I thought she had fallen off the monkey bars onto her face--I don't think I've ever seen a person that color.

"It was bad," our office manager whispered to me. "Poor thing."

What was? Was my baby going to be OK? My heart began to thump as I awaited the news.

About that time, our art teacher rounded the corner. Kaela had been in art when the mysterious affliction overcame her. "Oh, good, Mrs. P! You're here!" he bellowed, then called for my principal to come out. In front of our office staff, he continued in a loud, dramatic voice...."In all my 31 years of teaching, I have never, and I mean NEVER, seen vomit like that! I have a little award for your Sweet Pea..."

And he pulled out a blue ribbon. No kidding.

"Put that in her baby book, and write on the back about the record your daughter has set, Mrs. P. She'll appreciate that in a few years," he laughed, then returned to finish her class' art lesson. My principal chuckled, as did the rest of our audience, then disseminated.

As I cleaned her shoes and mopped her face, I could hear her whisper softly, in awe, "Mommy, did you know you could win prizes for throwing up? I never won a ribbon before. Wasn't that nice, Mommy?"

Love her heart.