That's How It Came to Be

This past weekend was Parent Weekend at our school. That translates into a whole lot of fun out on the field Saturday night. It was freezing outside and so I bundled from head to toe: scarf, heavy coat, gloves--the works. I sent Jace and Harrison, who was visiting, ahead of me and they, too, were dressed for an evening out in frigid temperatures. (Well, frigid as far as North Carolina is concerned--maybe not Wisconsin. Or Alaska.) So as I am huddled around a fire talking to a group of people, I look out at the field to find Jace who was playing soccer. And there he was--running like a crazy boy...in shorts and a t-shirt. I did a doubletake: what? I know I sent him out here dressed like he has a mother!

Awhile later, he saw me huddled over the fire and ran up to me, shivering: "Hey, Mom. Harrison and I are going home now."

"Jace! You're going to be sick!"

"No, I won't. When I got cold, I stood by a fire for a minute."

And that's how it came to be that Sunday morning Jace woke up with a raging cough and a fever. Yesterday morning (Monday), he wasn't any better and so, I headed for work and asked if I could work through my lunch hour so that I could head home an hour earlier. And that is how it came to be that yesterday afternoon I was home by 3:30 for a very long evening inside while rain poured down outside and Jace lay on the couch soaking up all of my attention. He had all of his supplies on the floor by the couch where he lay: a glass of water, crackers, kleenex, the remote control (he is definitely of the male species), and a book.

I hung out with him for a couple of hours. We watched tv, I cooked for him and I brought him water when his glass was empty. But after awhile, he decided he was tired and went to the bedroom to sleep for a few. And that's when I got the bright idea to cook.

Somewhere in the midst of hanging with Jace, Savana sent me a text saying she was going to make a red lentil curry soup when she got home for her lunches this week. Send me the recipe--I'll make it, and so she did. And so I went to the kitchen and chopped carrots and celery and onion and threw them into the pot. And while that was sauteing, I got the bright idea to make a casserole for my lunches. It's a casserole from my childhood that spells comfort to me--made with Rotel tomatoes and corn tortillas. Mmm...And since nobody in my family likes it but Roy and me, I figured I would have my lunches for the week prepared as well.

And then Roy came home.

That smells good. What are you cooking?

And that's how it came to be when I pulled the casserole out of the oven, Roy ate a whopping serving of it. And then I packed a bowl for myself for my lunch today, leaving just enough for Roy's lunch.

Oh well.

So hopefully today Jace will feel better and be ready to head back to school. Hopefully today my electric "gas" stove will come in...

And that's how it will come to be that this evening you will find me in the living room, soaking up the warmth of a "fire" while I lazily hang in my glider and watch Netflix, sipping from a tall glass of water, rather than cooking in a kitchen...

Because one night of cooking per week is plenty enough for me.