A few years ago my sister and her husband bought an old cape-cod style house in the city.  Both being artists and staying true to the character of the home, they began decorating it according to their tastes. My sister is still deciding on the proper paint color for the living room (I think she has tried around 436 colors), but the house certainly reflects them nicely.

When I arrived last night after spending the day travelling, I was more than ready for a nice hot shower. And what a treat because my sister’s bathroom is like a quaint little spa.

She loves the beach and visits regularly.

The room is full of quirky and fun accents.

She has a vast collection of all sorts of luxurious health and beauty products and essential oils.  All for me to experiment with. I felt like a kid in a candy store.

Then there is this…

A rain shower. A scalding hot rain shower with lavendar and mint and

best of all

no interruptions.

It was glorious.

I may never leave.

Kyle and I flew out to visit my sister and her family today. Kyle had been on a plane before, but was too young to appreciate the experience.

This time, though, he was very excited.

Once we arrived, Kyle was reunited with his cousin, and it’s been trains, superheroes, and sandboxes ever since.

Spidey never can stay still very long.

My sister fixed a fabulous pasta dish with fresh herbs from her garden, and we had a new wine to try.  After dinner we sat out in the backyard watching the boys play and exploring her garden. It was a wonderful way to relax and just be together. Tomorrow we head to the beach!

I grew up on the east coast. The worst storms in terms of coastal living are hurricanes. I particularly remember Hurricane David in 1979. More recently, many of our relatives were affected by Hurricane Isabel a few years ago. But with hurricanes, you know they are coming, and you have time to decide what you are going to do to be prepared.

Here, in the midwest, storm preparation is a whole different ballgame. I have always been kind of a weather buff, but out here, my attention level has definitely racheted up a few notches. When the weather man, or woman, says there is a chance of severe weather, everyone pays attention. This past week was a great example of how quickly things can get dramatic out  here. And it all happens in a few hours.

Things usually start out warm and breezy. Then moisture will flow in from the gulf, and the humidity builds. It’s not too long before a cold front drops down from the north and then things start getting crazy.

This is my living room. It looks like nighttime, but it is 12:30 in the afternoon.

It’s so dark, the street lights are on, but it’s the middle of the day. It’s already raining as the edges of the storm begin to move over us.

Then the wind and heavy rains move in. I had to move indoors after this because all “hail” broke loose.

I have seen a lot of hail, but these were the largest I’ve ever personally witnessed. And when these ice rocks smacked the windows, I thought they would surely break.  And when they hit the side of the house, you could feel the vibration of the interior wall.  They were some tornados with this storm, but not near us.  We huddled in the basement praying for those who were getting it worse than ourselves and remembering Him who calms the winds and rains.

And then I made them do some math worksheets.  That always alleviates anxiety.

Every once in a while, my dear friend, who is a nursing professor among many other things, rings me up to request that that I truck all my kids to her classroom where the nursing students can practice well-child exams on them. There is no disrobing, so my kids are quite happy to comply. It also helps that she lets them pick all kinds of treats and gifts afterward to thank them for their participation.

Here we are getting warmed up.  Each student is assigned a child to measure, weigh, test, poke, and generally assess.

The all love the one-on-one attention.  That’s what I tell myself anyway.

This kid is so ticklish around the neck, I honestly can’t imagine how she felt his lymph nodes. And that dummy in the wheel chair behind them, we’ll meet him later.

A student explains her findings to her patient.

Joel getting his eyes checked. And good thing too because I think it’s been a while since I have taken him…

The students are extremely thorough and take lots of time with each child. Now that I think about it, it’s probably much more comprehensive an exam than they actually get at the average doctor’s office.

Joseph being totured, er, I mean, having his various sensations and facial nerves tested. Facial nerves! How often does your well-child check include that?

All in all, they really have a great time and get a very thorough assessment for free. Plus, they leave with parting gifts! You can’t beat that. My thanks to the staff and students at Brown Mackie College.

There is, however, one thing more I must mention. One thing that makes the experience a tad surreal, almost in B-movie horror flick kind of way.

It’s…

It’s….

It’s all the dummies.

They’re in all the beds, along the walls, in wheelchairs. And all with strange expressions on their faces. I would bet money the come alive at night….when no one is there….

These are not cute babies. I tried to think them cute. I really did, but it’s just not there. They look like sinister little gnomes.

But this guy….

He’s getting into the narcotics at night. I guarantee it.

One more final left. My oldest has his English exam tomorrow, and then we are all done. I cannot imagine what that will feel like. It’s like some far-off, unattainable dream in an alternate universe.  But as soon as he submits it, I am going to take a nap… for at least 3 years…