I should already have my laundry basket prepared … my detergent packed – my bed stripped.  But, I’m too comfortable in it to strip it.  Too snuggly in my soft pajamas to do anything but stay in this quiet moment.

It’s inevitable – if I want clean clothes and sheets – and I am fond of such things.

But just this moment – right this second – it is SO deliciously quiet and peaceful and calm.

I have my cup of coffee, of the home made fancy variety.

Butters is outside exploring.  Nic is sleeping.  And the sun is hitting my curtain in a way that makes me smile.

It’s been a long few days.

Nicholas is experiencing the joy of becoming wise – in a most painful way.  Yes, the wisdom teeth.

Well, ‘tooth’ as far as we can tell with all of our dental training.

Unfortunately for my chipmunk – he has an infection (again, educated guess based on the level of pain and size of his cheek.)

Last night, as we sat on our opposing couches, he suddenly jumped up and rushed to the kitchen.

Me: What??!

Nic: I think something just happened.

(I pretty much knew ‘something’ must have happened because Nic doesn’t move that quickly off of furniture for ‘nothing’.)

It turns out, that ‘something’ was an abscess rupturing in his mouth.

Not pleasant.

Me: Rinse with warm salt water!!

(Nic was already holding the salt – note to self: He DOES listen and retain advice from time to time – keep giving it)

I should take a moment to explain why I am not a terrible mother for not having had him seen by a dentist yet.

We were pretty sure a wisdom tooth was coming in – and he was in pain.  But, as I said to Nic, “Of course you’re in pain, you are teething.”

It wasn’t until Halloween that he developed the swollen face.

I’m not going to go into details and pity stories – the long and short of it is, we don’t have health or dental insurance and we don’t have ‘in case of emergency’ money.

I spent Friday at work trying to figure out how to get him to a dentist.

So after the great ‘rupture’ he was actually feeling better.

Nic: Mom, look, I think it’s a good thing.  I can bite down now.  I don’t think I have to go to the dentist!

Me: Um … an abscess popping in your mouth isn’t a check mark in the ‘reasons I DON’T have to go to the dentist’ column.

Then he was sad. Spitting remaining salt water and drool into his little spit cup.

We had engaged in conversation earlier about the reality of the situation.  I assured him his health was priority one, but that might mean Christmas would not be the same under the tree.

We spoke again when I visited him in his room.

Nic: I don’t want you spending money or owing money

Me: It is what it is.  It’s important!   Money can be replaced.  It’s silly isn’t it?  These pieces of paper that we trade for goods and services.  Sure, it would make things easier if we had more of it – but we don’t.  We’re blessed though.  Everything always works out.  So, don’t worry about it.

And we are blessed.

We’re alive – have use of our limbs and our faculties.  We have a home and food and snuggly pajamas.  We have each other and Butters.  We have clothes TO wash and transportation TO get to the place to wash them.

And we have sunlight playing on our curtains.  And the kind of eyes and souls that notice such things  – and smile.