August 31

A year ago today, as I was putting away the groceries and thinking about the end of summer vacation, my cell phone rang. JT was on a playdate and he'd fallen while riding his bike. He seemed fine but was unwilling to walk on his left leg; I'd better come and check things out.

Six hours later, the boy was getting a full-leg cast. It was the first of three casts that would contain his healing leg for the next 13 weeks. To put it mildly, it wasn't the best way to end the summer of being seven years old.

Today, as I watch my fully healed eight year old run and jump, it's hard to believe that leg was ever broken. After the final cast came off, as JT worked through a limp and the natural anxiety that attends to recovery from a broken leg, I would occasionally catch my breath to see him running around or jumping off of the curb. Now, days will pass with no memory of the broken leg inserting itself into my consciousness.

Today I will stop and give thanks for his full recovery and for all the blessings a mama discovers when her boy breaks his leg: friends with endless patience and support; teachers, a school nurse and a school community who did everything they could to make sure that a broken leg didn't keep the second grade from being fun; and most of all a little boy who grew a great deal in the past year. His patience, good humor and enduring belief that life is a wonderful and happy journey even if your leg is busted give me faith that everything broken can heal in it's own time.


Update: In answer to JBro's question about what I feed the boy.....child is being raised on kitchen fumes, guacamole, bbq potato chips, and ice cream. It's a proven nutritional success combination.