In case of emergency...

There's nothing like slicing open your finger to learn certain things about your children. For instance, Sydney stays fairly calm in the face of crisis. And AJ? Let's just say he's not the one you want as back up in a situation involving blood.

 

Monday morning started out relatively calm for us. I was getting supper ready in the crock pot, when I managed to cut my finger while removing the top of a can of cream of mushroom soup.

 

I knew instantly it was a deep and long slice. As I stuck my finger under the faucet and gritted my teeth, I called out something like, "Oh, that's bad! Somebody get me a Band-aid!"

 

"What happened Mom?" AJ wanted to know.

 

"I cut my finger."

 

"Are we going to have to go to the emergency room or something?"

 

"No."

 

Sydney dutifully ran to the closet and grabbed a Band-aid. Never mind that it was a Muppets Band-aid, she got the job done. She even added a helpful tip, "Don't get lotion in it!"

 

"Thanks, Syd!"

 

AJ, meanwhile, could only hover nervously. He'd gotten close enough to see the blood gushing down my hand, and acknowledged, "it's kind of freaking me out."

 

Sensing a learning opportunity, I asked, "If this had been really bad, what should you have done?"

 

"Call 9-1-1," AJ answered immediately.

 

"Right. And do you know how to call Dad on his cell phone?" (Jeff had already left for work and missed the fun.)

 

"Um, no."

 

"Do you remember where the phone numbers are so you could call him?"

 

"Not really."

 

Thank goodness it was only my little finger.

 

I used a paper towel to at last get the bleeding to stop, applied the Muppets Band-aid and resumed my work.

 

AJ, meanwhile, wanted breakfast - a frozen sausage egg biscuit or something that needs to be microwaved. He knows to wrap it in paper towel, but couldn't quite reach the dispenser to pull off a sheet. I reached over and grabbed a towel for him. As he started to wrap it around his breakfast sandwich, he noted, "Ew, there's blood on this."

 

Figuring I must have dripped earlier, I grabbed him another.

 

"There blood on this one, too."

 

That's when I looked at my hand. It could have been in a horror movie. The cut had re-opened, and Kermit and friends had done little to stop the blood from smearing all over my palm and... yes... the handle of the spatula I'd been using.

 

I thought AJ was going to pass out.

 

Eventually all was cleaned up, the bleeding stopped, breakfast was eaten and supper made. And all that excitement was contained by Miss Piggy on my pinky.

 

 

All at last seemed under control. And then I looked out the window and noted the bus driving away. While my kids still stood at my side.

 

Aren't Mondays swell?