HP Happy

Continuing a tradition from my childhood, the girls and I try to go to Hersheypark for a day right after school ends in June. This year Doodle's sinus problems and my business travel stalled the trip until last weekend. I fretted about going in July's heat, but we had perfect weather for 1.5 days of fun. We stayed at the Hershey Lodge, taking advantage of free amusement park tickets for the kids, a shuttle bus to the park, an extra hour in the park, and the resort's miniature golf course. Tootle went on her first wooden rollercoaster ride, the trusty old Comet, and then went two more times. We rode all of our favorite rides--those that spin, plunge, swing, or do any combination of the above--at least twice and in some cases six times.
The trip wasn't without incident. On a water ride where a torrent of water hits you after you plunge down a water flume, the water was so forecful that Doodle got a nose bleed. Within 15 minutes, she was ready for a more tame ride down a lazy river. We love HP, as Doodle decided to call it. Why do tweens have to shorten everything to text message length (she doesn't even have a cell phone yet)?

Wordless Wednesday

Notes

I only travel for business 1-2 times a year, with one of the trips always falling in the summer for 5-6 days. The girls began a tradition 2-3 years ago where they write me a note or card for each day that I'm gone; I pack them in my carry on bag and open one from each girl every morning right after my shower. This year's cards, enjoyed last week when I was in Boston, were particularly fun. Doodle's were motivational, urging me to be happy and wave my hands with the Red S0x fans. Her cards were created by Emma's Cards Inc. and had a smiley face logo. Tootle pulled at my heart strings, telling me each day that she missed me. On Monday she wrote: "I hope you are haveing a good time. I can't wait till you come home." On this trip I work 14 hour days and have to be on 24-7 so overall it's not a good time, but I appreciated Tootle's sentiments. Both girls also taped money into their cards one day; silly kids.

I also get e-mails from both girls when I'm traveling. Last week when I didn't respond to one of Tootle's quickly enough, I got another one demanding to know why I hadn't answered her.

I leave a grab bag of small presents for the girls to open when I'm gone. This year's gifts included books, Japanese erasers (all the rage in our area this summer), and hair do dads.

Third Tooth on July 3

After watching a local country club's fireworks show from outside the gates (along with lots of other people who aren't wealthy enough to belong to the club), we came home and started the bedtime routine. Doodle, ever the helpful big sister, decided to stall a bit by wiggling Tootle's loose tooth. The tooth was so loose that it came out, and the resulting excitement pushed bedtime back by at least 30 minutes. Tootle hasn't lost a tooth in about nine months, so she was ecstatic, especially when she realized that she lost her third tooth on the 3rd.

This morning Tootle decorated her bike for the holiday and then asked me to take a picture of her new smile. She is very pleased with herself.

Long Unintentional Break

It seems like I haven't posted in a very long time. Doodle fainted during a soccer tournament over the Memorial Day weekend, which resulted in a round of doctor's visits to ensure that she has no cardiac, neurological, or other problems. This is the second time that she has fainted in the last year. She was cleared by these doctors, but now she's seeing an ENT because she has had four sinus infections in the last two months. Last week she missed the last two days of school, and her fever rose to 105 (she had an ear infection and likely a virus in addition to the sinus infection). Tootle and I were also sick last week, although we didn't get sick until after school was out for the summer.

In between the doctor visits, we went to a Nationals vs. Mets game, enjoyed our annual family reunion, and completed the soccer season. Doodle's team finished 3-2-3. After starting out with a string of ties and a loss, the team came on strong at the end of the season. Two of Tootle's teammates are leaving her team to join a travel team. They tried to convince Tootle to join them, but we're not quite ready for that yet. I did have a twinge of regret after Tootle played with great skill in Doodle's parents vs. kids game; there's no denying that she's an athlete. But I still don't think that a 2nd grader needs to have two practices a week and travel to games.

Here Tootle the athlete beheads the Elmo pinata at the family reunion. I hope we can stay healthy for awhile, and start to enjoy summer.

Prayer Requests

Two friends are in my thoughts and prayers this week:

• J, a military doctor who left for a one-year tour of duty in Iraq yesterday. J is a neighbor and the dad of one of Doodle's best friends, S. Today is S's birthday and she was pretty disappointed that her dad had to leave before her big day. He was here for his son's graduation from high school last week. The son is spending a gap year teaching in China so they will be a global family over the next year.
• B, the mom of Tootle's best friend, who has suffered from seizures due to temporal lobe epilepsy for several years (basically ever since we've known her; it appears to have started shortly after the birth of E, almost 7 years ago). After trying many medications and alternative therapies, and seeing her health continue to deteriorate, B is having the first of two brain surgeries next week, to be followed by a second one a week later. She'll be in a New York hospital for 2-3 weeks total, and there is a chance that she may experience personality or speech changes as a result of the surgery. B seems secure in the knowledge that she is making the right decision and has sent out a letter asking for prayers. I cried when I read the letter even though I already knew many of the details.

The more people who pray for these two wonderful people, the better.

The Bookworm

Tootle is totally addicted to Daisy Meadows' Rainbow Fairies books. She would read them every waking moment if I let her. Her reading skills have exploded in the second half of the school year, and I credit an excellent teacher and the Rainbow Fairies for her success. Only six more days of school and then Tootle can veg out with a book all day if she desires.