The Bead

Dear Grace,
Today, you stuck a bead in your nose at school. You were making crowns for the epiphany and decided the purple one that was too irresistible and just stuck it right in your left nostril. Your teacher, Ms. Sonia, called to tell me. My 1st reaction was to laugh. Don't ask me why..I laughed when you fell off the bed as an infant and when you fell off your swing set when you got a little older. I don't mean to...it's what comes out. So after she told me you were calm and ok..but just had a bead up your nose.... I left to pick you up and take you to the dr. We had to go to Lake After Hours b/c your doctor couldn't fit us in, as it was the end of the day... The dr was very nice and you were as still as you could be while he stuck tweasers in your nose to remove the tiny bead...but he couldn't get it out. So, he told us to see another tomorrow and go on home. Later, after you'd eaten and taken a bath, we were sitting in bed and you said you thought you felt it. You asked to go get a tissue to blow your nose again and you blew it out...all by yourself!!! The look on your face was priceless as you looked at the little snotty purple bead sitting on the tissue, so excited, so accomplished. And you said MAMA, I DID IT!! I GOT THE BEAD! I was as equally excited. It was as if you'd found a diamond in your nose. I have cleaned and kept the bead for future reference and harrassment. It will be a long time before you live this one down, sister. But while I was at the dr with you and watching them try to take the bead out of your nose, I realized how sad I would be if anything ever happened to you. I hope you know how much I love you and will do anything I can to stop you from getting harmed... but work with me, girl..and dont stick foreign objects in your nose.

Love, Mommy