Lessons from Radley...

A few weeks ago I got a phone call from the school nurse, which is never good. The following conversation happened:

Nurse Reeda: Katy?

Me: Yes...

NR: This is Nurse Reeda from CHE...

Me: Hi... everything ok?

NR: Well, Radley was playing soccer and fell down and broke...

Me: Oh no...he broke his arm, or his leg, or his nose, or his elbow, or...

NR: His tooth. His front left permanent tooth. It's chipped in half.

Me: Oh how I wish it was his arm, or his leg, or his nose, or his elbow, or...

Me: Is he ok??

She let me know he was fine and not in any pain and handled it like a champ. 

I, on the other hand, was a mess. I was just so flustered about one more week of a kiddo being sick or hurt. Leaving work. Not having Ryan around to just hug ME and clearly that was the selfish part. I also immediately thought of poor Radley - and having to deal with this forever. I was worried he was in pain. That he'd get teased. And a million other things. 

Instead I arrived to the nurses's office to a kid calmly doing his homework. His first words were, "Mom - it's ok. It's not that big of deal - it's not like anyone died." 

Right. Perspective, kid. Thanks. 

We made our way to the dentist and got the good news that he managed to miss the nerve - we made an appointment for two weeks from the accident and waited. In the meantime, he looked adorable with that chipped tooth.

He was a champ - he was brave when he wanted to be scared. He was still when he wanted to move. He wanted to learn about all of it as it happened. 

And his smile returned - just like new. 

For an hour. Because when we got back to school I looked down and his tooth was chipped. Again.

IT FELL OUT. 

Y'all. I still can't believe that it happened. I am in actual disbelief that this was even a possibility. I mean, I knew that we'd probably have to get it replaced but not AN HOUR AFTER IT WAS FIXED!

 I was frustrated for Radley. I was annoyed that the dentist office scheduled us for MARCH 18 to get it fixed. I was worried that he was in pain. I was maybe a tiny bit hysterical. 

But luckily we have great friends that offered to fix his tooth the next day. So we made our way back to the dentist, where Radley knew exactly what was going to happen. He knew he'd get a shot. He knew he'd be uncomfortable. He knew he'd have to be still. He knew that it may fall off again. 

But once again he showed courage. He showed bravery. He showed me that sometimes you just have to do things you don't want to do and you get the choice in how you'll face that thing.

Most importantly, he showed me that with faith you can face anything - even sitting in a chair for another hour getting your tooth fixed just praying that this time it lasts. 

(And it did.) 

(For now.)