recently i suffered a strained lower back which kept me from being comfortable in any position, but gave me a few days off from my normal house duties.

which was humbling. because i had to really trust that the house wouldn’t melt or explode without my constant care and straightening up.

today, i am caring for a sick child, whose voice is gone (except when he yells for yet another yogurt-pop, and then it’s hilariously hoarse), and who is running a slight fever. his brothers think that they get to lay in bed and watch Return of the Jedi along with him.

and i’m letting them.

sometimes, a school day from home looks completely different than a regular school day. but it’s still a school day. we just move rooms! today, my older and younger boys learned to care for their sick brother. and we played math games on the computer. and we read stories out loud together.

during the ending scenes of  Return of the Jedi, when Darth Vader saves Luke’s life  by throwing the Emperor over the rail (oh, sorry…i should have warned you about that spoiler), sawyer said in his little screechy-scratchy sick voice, “the first time we watched this movie, Daddy explained to me that no father likes to see his son be hurt. not even Darth Vader.”

and that’s what i hope he remembers most from today’s lessons.