It is with great sadness and a very heavy heart that I have to say that Rob's grandfather passed away early this morning. He lost his battle with cancer. He was more than a grandfather to Rob and was the only father that Rob had ever known. We are trying to work out the details right now and figure out travel arrangements to get to Dallas. With both of the kids being so sick right now, we are unsure if Rob will have to make the trip alone.
Emily woke up this morning still running a fever over 101 degrees. That meant no school for her and that also meant no Valentine's party for her. She cried almost all morning long about it, too. She was devastated. She begged me to let her go to school. I sent an email to her teacher asking if there were any leftovers from the party, maybe she could send home with Ethan so Emily could enjoy them at home. I have never seen Emily so upset before. The teacher emailed me back and said that another little girl was out today, too, and that they would have their own little mini party later when the three of them could do it together. That brightened Emily's day and she was fine after that.
Later in the morning, a call came in from the school. It was the school nurse AGAIN!!!! She said that she needs to just put my number on speed dial. :) Ethan started not feeling well again and his stomach was upset and then started running a fever. At this point nothing surprises me anymore. I dragged Emily out of the house in her pajamas and we went up to the school to pick up her brother. Ethan's cheeks were all red and flushed and he was looking very pitiful. He came home and went right to bed. Once the Motrin kicks in and the fever breaks, the kids get up and start playing again for a while. Whatever this is that is running through our house, it is a horrible bug that needs to leave. We need to set off some kind of Lysol bombs in here to kill this virus!!!!!
Since Emily was here when I had taken the call from Rob's grandmother about his grandfather, she had already found out about it and had handled the news well. Her way of handling the news was to worry about how her daddy would take the news. She was fine and just said how sad it was and then was off to watch cartoons. When Ethan was home from school I told him about it. He didn't handle it the same way. He started sobbing and crying. As the adult, I was trying to be strong for him, but I couldn't do it. I just grabbed him and we just cried together. He said he didn't understand why people had to die. And then he suddenly got worse and cried harder. He said that he had made a valentine for Grandpa and he didn't get the chance to mail it to him before he died. He was almost inconsolable by this point. I was sitting there trying to quickly think of anything I could to help him feel better. I reminded him of the heart balloon that he and Emily released into the sky a few weeks ago after he got out of the hospital. The balloon said "I Love You" on it and Ethan had written his name on it with a marker. Ethan suddenly quit crying and he looked at me. I asked Ethan if he remembered where balloons go that are released into the sky. He said, "They go to Heaven." And then he asked me if that balloon was already in Heaven waiting for Grandpa to get there. I told him that I'm sure it was. I told him that the valentine he made for Grandpa can be sent to him the same way. We can tie it to a balloon and release it. Ethan smiled a big smile and ran over and said he was going to finish working on it so it would be ready. He brought the special valentine to me a short time later and it is beautiful and perfect. I only wish I would have had the chance to warn Rob what had happened with Ethan. A short time after Rob got home today from work, Ethan was laying in his bed watching a movie and called his daddy in there. I didn't think anything about it until Rob came walking out with tears running down his face trying to hold back the obvious emotional upheaval going on. Ethan was telling him all about sending Grandpa a valentine up in Heaven and Rob wasn't quite prepared for the conversation. It broke my heart. Today has been one heck of a hard day.
UPDATE:
The services for Rob's grandfather will be held on Sunday, February 15. At this time, Rob is planning on leaving on Saturday to drive to Texas. Whether the kids and I go with him is still up in the air. It all depends on how everybody is feeling.
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Man girlie, you really deserve a break! I am sorry you arent feeling well on top of ALL of it.. but can Ijust say how much your kids ROCK. Ethan isnt trading snacks for himself, he's trying to make someone elses day (granted there could be a reason that mom doesnt want their kid having juice or something) and I think that just shows what terrific parents you and Rob are! And then today.. *cry* *sniff* you my friend are amazing, and your children are as well! Lots of hugs and WELL WISHES.
Oh and for the 504 plan..they CANNOT send you to court, that is for UNEXCUSED abscenses! Crying out loud. But yes, I learned with Colby last year, it's just best to have a 504.. and it is NOT too late, she just doesnt want to do the work for it, it's lots of work.. but you might want to insist on it to cover your heiny since she even said that to you!
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