Photo credit: Lauren M.

My little one came home the other day from school complaining that her eye hurt. Throughout the course of the evening, we saw a slightly irritated eye go from bad to worse.

So the next day, rather than off to school, we took a field trip to the doctor. And mom’s schedule for the day changed.

It can irritate me. I’m selfish like that. I don’t have an employer but I write a bit here on the blog. My “stay-at-home” days get filled up with things that need done. Mostly good things. A few cumbersome. Others mundane.

I bet my to-do list can beat yours.

Every time my little one ends up at home, it interrupts my plans for the day. The very important things I have to do.

In times like this, God nudges me. He doesn’t speak out loud but I wouldn’t necessarily call His reminder a whisper either. Conviction.

“Today, I have given you a gift. Your very healthy child has hit a bump in her otherwise smoothly paved road. Nothing matters more than spending time with her today.”

Then I remember all the things I should have thought of at the very first. She’s only little for such a short time. God made her, well, absolutely amazing! One of the greatest wonders in my life is the fact that I get a front-row seat in watching her life unfold.

We had a great day. The doctor’s office got us in mid-morning so we threw on clothes and headed out the door. Our daughter enjoys learning, although she always seems to jump at the chance to skip school….

She double-checked her height and weight numbers as the nurse read them off to us. Once inside the exam room, she watched the nurse use the stethoscope. Then asked how her heart sounded. Much to her delight, he let her listen. She asked what her ear looked like inside. She wondered if she’d need her blood pressure taken that day (pointing to the instruments lined up on the wall). Was her temperature normal?

Nothing’s routine when you’re seven.

We found out she wasn’t contagious and just needed a few eyedrops to clear things all up. Good news! So we set out to run errands.

Growing into her fashionista tendencies, she asked to look at the girls’ clothes instead of the toys for the first time ever. In the food aisles, she picked out lunch menu items for her and grandma to take on their upcoming field trip.

This mama’s heart melted as I thought back on past trips to the grocery store. Moms everywhere know the universal truth that going to any store is easier without your child. But again. Perspective. She loves going to the store with me.

We went out to lunch from there. She chose Mexican. Guacamole, chicken mole and a tamale. As I watched her devour each item, I knew we were raising a true food snob. Another proud mama moment in my interrupted day.

She didn’t want to go to school the next morning. Her eye had cleared up and she was feeling fine. But after the fun day we’d had running around, can you really blame her?

It’s a blessing to my family that one of us parents can tend to our daughter when she needs to stay home from school. Deep in my heart I know this. Sometimes I just need a reminder.