Know When to Hold ‘Em and When to Fold ‘Em by Heather Bowles

Good Saturday afternoon, ladies! I apologize for the late entry today, but I am bone weary, and mentally spent from this week in the Bowles household. Tabitha is teething in earnest now, and she wakes every two hours throughout the night to cry. I’ve tried every safe homeopathic remedy I can find, and tonight, I planned to try Hyland teething tablets. They contain belladonna, which is a little alarming since it’s a poisonous plant, but I’m at my wits end, and I’d really like to play cards with my friends tonight without the constant trips up and down the stairs. Since I went looking for them this morning in preparation for tonight’s event, my local pharmacy has just discontinued carrying them and are now out of stock, of course.

I’d normally be frustrated by this turn of events, but emotionally, I’m just numb right now. Yesterday’s terrible events in Connecticut have hit me really hard. Being a former elementary school teacher myself, I can imagine the terror those women went through, and my heart aches for the entire faculty and student body. Late last night, I accidentally stumbled across a clip of a teacher describing how she talked her entire class of kindergarteners into a bathroom and kept them reassured, quiet, and ensured their safety. Even after the shots stopped she wouldn’t unlock the door. She managed to keep it together for those children, and the district can never repay her for her service, no matter how many raises they give their staff.

I can only feel relief and gratitude that my own troubles are so simple. Today, I feel blessed beyond measure. Tonight, when my baby cries, I’m folding. My baby won’t be a baby forever. I’m holding on to her for as long as she wants me.

Tags: Connecticut shooting, emotional exhaustion, gratitude, Hyland teething tablets, school violence, teething