Breathing? Check. Magic Birthday? Check. Minecraft? Check.

Breathing

Aside from the occasional double-checking that his fingernails haven't turned blue from oxygen deprivation, Robert has managed to keep calm about his breathing. He even told the doctor on Monday, "Even though I KNOW my lungs are fine and it's not an asthma attack, I might still worry about it every once in a while. I'm not going to just forget about my breathing all at once." That explains him this week. He knows he's probably okay, but just needs me to confirm that he's getting enough oxygen (the fingernail check). 

As for the obsession over checking his breathing, the doctor told him, "If you're having trouble breathing, it's not something you'll need to check frequently. You'll be wheezing, coughing, and regular things will become very difficult." That reminded me of Robert's worst asthma attack some years ago. I asked him some questions and he wheezed from his bed on the couch, "I don't want to talk. It takes too much air." My eyes got wide and I knew he needed a doctor. And even then, in his worst state, his lips and fingernails were the right colors.

Magic Birthday

Alice turned 14 on the 14th this month. Congrats! I will share more about this momentous occasion in its own blog post.

Minecraft (and garden)

The boys have been pretty passionate about Minecraft since they were first introduced to it three years ago. Covid isolation has magnified that passion 100-fold. They talk to me about it constantly. They talk to each other about it constantly. They read about it in library books and use their screen time to research it, watching YouTubers play it. I love, love, love my boys. And yet, there's only so much I want to hear about something I care so little about, no matter how much I love the source. I declared this last Sunday a day the boys couldn't talk to me about Minecraft. At dinner, the conversation started steering towards Minecraft again and I said, "No Minecraft." Then I added (a little too excitedly), "Let me tell you about my garden!!" 

Groans all around.

That's when Robert lit up, "I think I get it now! You feel about Minecraft the way we feel about your garden! Okay, maybe I can talk less about Minecraft."

I know some of you feel that way about my garden, too. When I go back and read old blog posts, I find the veggie lists and planning bits kinda boring. You'll be seeing less of that here from now on. I do like the stories, though, and I'll continue to share those on the blog. 

James, Matthew, and I were outside on Monday when our neighbor told us about a woodpecker that's taken an interest in one of his trees. Just minutes after our neighbor went back inside, we heard the woodpecker. The boys spotted him before I did. He's very loud for being so little. 

It was so sunny and nice on Sunday that the boys and I decided to have lunch outside. That led to attending Primary online from the back patio, too. I've gotta admit, there are some pluses to at-home church.

Remember a few years back when I rented the extra garden plot at Orchard Downs? Y'know, that painfully difficult gardening summer that forced me to admit I knew almost nothing about growing food in the Midwest? That experience led to me working with Sola Gratia Farm. Well, this year, I'll be working with some folks from Solidarity Gardens (kind of a brain child and spin-off from Sola Gratia Farm) on a plot 4x the size of that Orchard Downs place. It's going to be a ton of work. What a great way to test what I've learned! Looking forward to it :)