You said it kid.
It's been a rough two weeks really. I'm still dealing with the campus crisis that nearly ruined my enjoyment of Game 5.
A couple Thursdays ago Faye was playing on the school playground. One of her classmates was swinging on the swingset. Faye walked in front of the swingset and got clobbered by her swinging classmate. Faye was smacked in the mouth and the impact pushed up her top two front teeth so the bottom tips were barely visible underneath her gums, temporarily changing the landscape of her beautiful toddler smile.
We kept ice packs and ice on it through the evening. The next morning, we awoke to find Faye's mouth bloodied and badly swollen. Without skipping a beat, Kates decided she was staying home with Faye for the day and took her to be checked out by the dentist. Thankfully, the dentist saw no permanent damage, but he also indicated it might get worse before it gets better.
Which it did. Faye's mouth continued swelling through the weekend that by Sunday evening she resembled a duck-billed platypus. Kates ultimately took Faye to the clinic that night. The doctor declared Faye had acquired an infection, which apparently is common with mouth injuries, and prescribed an antibiotic for her. ... The antibiotic had an immediate impact. Faye's teeth have almost returned to their normal position and her swelling is nearly gone.
Nonetheless, we enjoyed the weekend and nursed Faye as best we could. The highlight was Friday night when Kates headed out to help a friend who was in need of some childcare assistance while her husband was away. In the meantime, I stayed home with Phoebe and Faye and built the coolest fort they'd ever seen with our couch, a couple desk hi-chairs and some blankets. We got cozy inside the fort and watched a DVD collection of short films based on children's books. It was great.
Bring on Monday. I was home with the girls again because the elementary school had a staff development day. We played and colored, but I couldn't keep myself from getting sucked into the drama playing out on social media as leaders of the University of Missouri system resigned amid protests and accusations that they hadn't done enough to promote racial equity and inclusion on the campus. I had a feeling then that we were going to feel it on our campus, too.
Wednesday morning I got out of the shower to find a text from our university president informing me that threats were popping up on social media and we needed to notify our students and employees. We did that, and by the noon hour I was taking a phone call from our university police chief to inform me an arrest was made and peppering him with questions to gather the information I needed for a news release.
Within hours our campus was making national headlines. And for about two hours that evening my phone did not stop ringing. The phone rang. I picked it up. Answered the reporter's questions. Hung up. My phone rang again. ... Eventually, reporters starting emailing me, saying my phone was busy so they were trying to reach me via email instead.
Around 7 Wednesday night, I broke away from my office to pick up the girls from their church activities. After I got them home, more phone calls and emails from New York media. Google alerts were coming in and I found myself quoted in a USA Today story. ... Kates arrived home shortly after 8 and I told her I was surprised I hadn't heard from The New York Times. Yep, a Times reporter called while I was putting Phoebe to bed.
Things began quieting a bit on the media front yesterday afternoon. But the impact of the ordeal on our campus is far from over ...
Last night, Paris was attacked. I had been in meetings nearly all day Friday and was exhausted from the week's events. As it turned out, though, I couldn't find a time to sneak out of my office and followed the reports of the unfolding attacks in real time on social media. Around 6 I headed home and the girls wouldn't arrive for another half hour or so, which gave me time to turn on the TV and digest the updates. ... It was horrific and continues to distract my thoughts this weekend. The attacks occurred at places any couple in any city like Kates and I might frequent. On the streets, at restaurants, at a concert hall. How do we end all this terror? How far will it go?
Yes, it's been a rough week, Faye. And I hope the world is a better place when you're my age. Life does get tiring, but rest up -- tomorrow's a new day.
Nonetheless, we enjoyed the weekend and nursed Faye as best we could. The highlight was Friday night when Kates headed out to help a friend who was in need of some childcare assistance while her husband was away. In the meantime, I stayed home with Phoebe and Faye and built the coolest fort they'd ever seen with our couch, a couple desk hi-chairs and some blankets. We got cozy inside the fort and watched a DVD collection of short films based on children's books. It was great.
Bring on Monday. I was home with the girls again because the elementary school had a staff development day. We played and colored, but I couldn't keep myself from getting sucked into the drama playing out on social media as leaders of the University of Missouri system resigned amid protests and accusations that they hadn't done enough to promote racial equity and inclusion on the campus. I had a feeling then that we were going to feel it on our campus, too.
Wednesday morning I got out of the shower to find a text from our university president informing me that threats were popping up on social media and we needed to notify our students and employees. We did that, and by the noon hour I was taking a phone call from our university police chief to inform me an arrest was made and peppering him with questions to gather the information I needed for a news release.
Within hours our campus was making national headlines. And for about two hours that evening my phone did not stop ringing. The phone rang. I picked it up. Answered the reporter's questions. Hung up. My phone rang again. ... Eventually, reporters starting emailing me, saying my phone was busy so they were trying to reach me via email instead.
Around 7 Wednesday night, I broke away from my office to pick up the girls from their church activities. After I got them home, more phone calls and emails from New York media. Google alerts were coming in and I found myself quoted in a USA Today story. ... Kates arrived home shortly after 8 and I told her I was surprised I hadn't heard from The New York Times. Yep, a Times reporter called while I was putting Phoebe to bed.
Things began quieting a bit on the media front yesterday afternoon. But the impact of the ordeal on our campus is far from over ...
Last night, Paris was attacked. I had been in meetings nearly all day Friday and was exhausted from the week's events. As it turned out, though, I couldn't find a time to sneak out of my office and followed the reports of the unfolding attacks in real time on social media. Around 6 I headed home and the girls wouldn't arrive for another half hour or so, which gave me time to turn on the TV and digest the updates. ... It was horrific and continues to distract my thoughts this weekend. The attacks occurred at places any couple in any city like Kates and I might frequent. On the streets, at restaurants, at a concert hall. How do we end all this terror? How far will it go?
Yes, it's been a rough week, Faye. And I hope the world is a better place when you're my age. Life does get tiring, but rest up -- tomorrow's a new day.
