This morning I asked Huck if he wanted me to volunteer at his classroom Halloween party.  He seemed a little confused by the whole subject and asked if he had a class Halloween party last year.  I said, “Yes, I was there.”  He paused and then asked, “Was I embarrassed?”  Poor mothers everywhere.

Also this morning Troy administered painful drops into my bad ear for the first time in 15 years.  These are the same awful, yet effective acid-burning, marriage-testing ear drops that were prescribed to me back in 1999 for the ear infection that would result in two botched surgeries, a massive hole in my ear drum, hearing loss and new sympathy for George Bailey.  My bad ear is one of my main character traits, but it’s only recently that it’s been acting up again, causing all kinds of regret that I didn’t let my top rated New York ear specialist repair it before we left.  As I got into the once familiar position on my right side and braced myself for the pain, Troy and I shared a heartbreaking “Isn’t this like old times?” moment.

A few hours later I found myself on my friends’  big beautiful porch watching the thunderstorm while talking to my mom on the phone.  She listened to my ear woe details, made plans to pray for a miracle, and mothered her 44 year old daughter back to good spirits.  She told me, “As your mother I  have sensed something was wrong.  I am sure you have that with Huck.”  Moms are all about the old times.

Soon I will pick my child up from school and try not to embarrass him before dropping him off at that big beautiful porch where he will help tile a kitchen while I rehearse my favorite play one week from opening night.  We’re starting early today which means we get done early tonight which means a rare evening at home.

Like old times.