1/2 Day

I took a 1/2 day today.  I have been exhausted, feeling I have not seen my son enough, and knowing that today would be a long day, tomorrow too.  So I called in "sick" and slept in two more hours.  Sleeping in meant that I only got paid for half the day (as I have used up my "sick time" but I felt it was more than worth it).  Then I spent some time with Jordan.  As is becoming customary for Steph or I, I put him in our bed (because he loves it) and just laid next to him.  I laid next to him for about 40 minutes.  I might have dozed off for a minute or two, but otherwise I just watched him, hugged him, and kissed him.  The 40 minutes was by far the best 40 minutes of the last 40 hours.  Just being around him reminds me how much I love him, and how much everything I do affects him.

The rest of the day went pretty well.  School was ok.  Tennis was good, for the most part.

Aside from Jordan, however, the day brought about two reminders of the frailty of teenage life.  A student in our department was taken to the hospital this morning (while I was home on my "sick" day) because of suicidal thoughts- thoughts that may be re-enforced by the behaviors of a drug-addicted father.  The second, the recurring battle with depression of a kid who is close to me.  Both of these are a stark reminder to the stressors of life and tornado of emotions that was introduced to me this summer.  I believe that I have heard too many stories of teen depression and suicide in the last 4 months to ignore the fact that God is trying to prepare me for something, or that he is/will be using me for something.  I truly pray that one of the natural conclusions to this assumption is not the real cause.

Thoughts for the Moment:  Sun and Rain.