Mother of the Year Award

Last night before she went to sleep

While she was sleeping I snapped a quick pic

  One eyed Willie. Cyclops. Sloth (from the Goonies). Mike Tyson. Call her what you will but she doesn't look like my cute little Julia.

Todd is gone on another fire and I had tried so hard all day Sunday to keep the kids from playing with friends. Every time we would go outside, a new friend would show up and we would end up going into the house because it was easier than telling the friend(s) to go home. That evening, after the third attempt to go outside and ride scooters on our own property, I caved in and let them ride scooters with their friends. It was just easier. The scooter riding turned into a game of tag on bikes--well to be more specific it was cops and robbers with the big neighbor boys (dad's) being the cops and all the kids were robbers.

Julia was being so good to just stay on our drive way and ride her scooter but after she saw all the chasing and fun in the street she thought that was the place to be. I went and got her once and brought her back home but once was not enough. I shouldn't have been so lazy and should have really enforced her not being allowed in the game because soon after I gave the boys their 15 minute warning that it was almost time to come in Julia and one of the neighbor girls had a head on collision. I would love to blame it all on Julia and the lack of her watching where she's going but the truth is that it's my fault for even allowing her to be out there with the bigger kids at all. 

After the crash we picked both girls up, inspected them and I noticed blood coming down from Julia's eye and it was very swollen. I tried to stay calm and walked into the house, followed by three concerned men and what felt like 20 kids. I quickly put some ice on her eye and then the men began their diagnosing. Once said, "I think she's got a broken cheek bone". Another said, "Her eyes are really dilated". The third said, "I think it's all just swollen". I only wanted to agree with dad #3. I can handle scrapes and bruises but to think she had a broken cheek bone was NOT what I wanted to hear.

We got all the kids back to their homes and my kids into their PJ's and were about to say our evening prayers when my neighbor came back over with his wife and an ice cream cone to share with Juls. They even offered to give her a blessing if I wanted. I really thought the swelling had gone down some and it looked better than it had when it first happened so I thought she'd be alright. It was still so neat that I am surrounded by worthy priesthood holders that are willing and able to assist if needed.

I'm so grateful that it wasn't her eye that got hit or hurt in any way. It was extremely close. There's probably a reason we shouldn't play with friends on Sunday...or ride scooters/bikes in the dark. Maybe both?

This morning while in the tub. She did not want her picture taken.

Pictures were more fun when she could make faces

Ain't I a beaut!