*see note at bottom

So…my sister, Ginger, calls me on my cell tonight to ask about my niece whom I took to the doctor today.  I emailed Ginger to tell her that our niece not only has strep, but scarlet fever.  No details.  It was hectic.

Ginger does not immediately recall what scarlet fever is and how serious it is.  Like my 15 year old, Courtney, she seems to only recall mass numbers of people possibly dying from scarlet fever sometime in history.  So Ginger’s 13 year old son, Gordon, Googles it.  At least I think he Googled it.  Perhaps he used another search.  But I like the word Google.  His finds no doubt ease her mind; however, she calls me to follow up.  She calls my cell instead of my land line (I like that phrase, too) because she either already called my land line (Doesn’t that sound much better than home phone?) and did not get an answer because I did not hear it, no one else in the house heard it or we (meaning the rest of the people in my house–not me–I did not hear it) were too busy with some other activity to answer it or we (You remember who “we” are, right?) just assumed someone else will get it if they deem it necessary.

Are you still with me?  So, Ginger calls my cell because it’s the alternate number and hopefully at this point I will be lying in bed next to my nightstand where my cell is housed and I will answer it.  OR I will at least get her voicemail and know why she is calling and if I should call back right away.  My land line does not have voicemail set up.  NOPE.  Just caller I.D.

The call was sent to voicemail and she left a message.  Now…it’s probable that I got a little fumbly (Oh, spellcheck, leave the word alone!) with my phone because I was exasperated a bit for many reasons.  One reason would be that Sophie is on a sleep strike of sorts.

I realize that I may have possibly hung up on her (If you’re paying attention, I didn’t, the call was sent to voicemail) and call back.  She answers.  We start the conversation and then I hear the beep signaling the voicemail.  That statement has no bearing on this post.  Just added details that you did not really need to know… all in the midst of details that you probably don’t need to know, either.  They are fascinating…at least to me.  Stick with me.

The conversation begins with Ginger asking about scarlet fever and ‘how’s our niece’ (I just killed the rabbit I almost chased regarding the niece’s name.  You’re welcome.).  While I’m listening and trying to stay focused the way Todd Smith describes his wife, Angie, in regards to her attentiveness to others, I am fighting distractions involving Joe trying to win the battle of Sophie going to bed.

So my conversation is back and forth, back and forth, much like this post.  But we are females endowed with the gift of gab above many of our fellows and we can switch topics, talk to family members, check the weather channel for updates on Gustav and pray silent prayers all the while.  I’m not sure how that spells attentiveness.

Seconds pass–it seems like years–I don’t hear Sophie and I don’t hear Joe telling Sophie to get back in bed.  And then I hear a beep on my phone.  A beep that signals a text message.  I want to look but resist because I am trying to hang on Ginger’s every word in spite of the many distractions (The weather channel is still on and the path does not look good for Louisiana.).  But then I hear another beep and I know that there are now two text messages.  Well, I didn’t actually know right away what the signal was signalling until I finally pulled the phone away from my ear to see that I have two text messages.

Right away I knew.  I knew it was my 15 year old, Courtney.  Because Courtney will call me from her cell while in her bedroom for anything–have me bring her a glass of water, tell me goodnight, bring her a roll of toilet paper.  I’m kidding on that last one.  If you were paying attention you’ll remember that I said she will call me while in her bedroom.  I’m certain she has never called me for a roll of toilet paper and I’m certain that the mention of the possibility is going to cause some drama or possibly even trauma.  (For the readers, Courtney, for the greater cause!)

But at this point I really don’t ‘know’ it’s Courtney until I view the text messages while Ginger was none the wiser.  As I’m viewing the text messages I hear Joe yell, “SOPHIE”!

I know.  Not only because I viewed the text messages from Courtney, but because I know my kids.  I know that Sophie has now gotten out of bed and entered Courtney’s room and this is why we have had the few seconds of silence.  So I interrupt Ginger to tell her what has happened at the same time Joe is coming back into the master bedroom exasperated.  My attentiveness clearly needs work.

Ginger pulls a ‘let me get this straight’ of sorts to make sure she gets the picture.

She’s trying to have a conversation with me on my cell which is very convenient for me.  The two year old has gotten out of her bed and marched straight to the teen sister’s room (It appears she knows that the 15 year old is awake as usual and the 18 year old is asleep.).

The teen responds with text messages from her cell to her Mom:

“is she supposed to be up?”

“In my room!?!”

Yep, that sums it up.  But I like the details…

And we laugh and laugh and laugh.  Just like Mary Jane in the old Mary Jane jokes….

Modern technology.  Convenient.  May cause bad manners.

P.S.  And then I’m the last one up so I tap away at this post to share this story with you.

Goodnight.  Time to pull down my eye mask and stuff in my ear plugs and have another talk with Jesus.

P.P.S.  The earplugs aid in hearing the Lord speak above life’s distractions.

*Please pray for my niece as she has been sent to the E.R. because the rash is getting worse.

**Update:  Steroid shot in E.R. helped with rash and itching.  She is home and she is fine. 

….oh the editing this post needs!