Something up her nose

Keri Lynn is preparing for her next trip to the orthodontist in California, probably Tuesday, if all goes well with her flight and will probably return Wednesday. (Stan, I hope I'm giving you enough heads up!) The time for her appointment comes around so fast! And last time, we thought we'd be extra efficient and have her leave early and return late on the same day. However, it only ended up making both of us extremely tired for two whole days, since we didn't get a good rest for two nights.

Meanwhile, Mom and Rich and Connie's Lola and Gabriel will be coming to visit us next weekend and a little into the next week! We're very excited to see them. Mom and Rich came through for just a few brief hours only a week after we'd moved in. So now they can see our house all moved in . . . Well, sort of moved in. We've still got painting to do, a few more pieces of furniture to get, and all of the landscaping and work in the basement . . . just a few things, really!

Tomorrow (Monday) will make a whole year that we've been in our new home. I can't believe it. It still doesn't seem real when I pull up to our driveway. I think, pretty much every time, "I can't believe we actually live here!" We are so blessed. It's especially poignant when the weather is severe since California weather is always so moderate. It's getting really cold (for us anyway -- not talking freezing north) and the leaves are falling in spectacular colors. I'll step out to take the dog for a potty break and remember, "Oh, yeah! I've got to get a jacket, and gloves, and maybe sunglasses to protect my eyes from the wind!"

This evening, Kylie came up to me with her ever-present sniffling nose.

"Mom, I've got something stuck in my nose. It's been there for a long time, maybe since I was two. It feels like plastic."

I looked at her pretty much disbelievingly, wondering why she would chose to complain about it now, but thought about all of the times she's forever had a gob of snot in just that one nostril. Keith was sitting next to me watching TV, so I told her to tell Daddy all about it -- gross nostril things are his specialty -- really! -- and they disappeared to the bathroom for surgery. Next thing I knew, Keith was back with a pair of tweezers sporting a disgusting looking piece of what looked like chicken bone. Kylie had indeed gotten something stuck in her right nostril for a VERY long time. Keith cleaned it off and kind of uncrumpled it, and we found that it was actually a small rectangular piece of plastic.

I asked Kylie if it had hurt having it taken out. She said that it hadn't and had a HUGE grin on her face. She felt great! Good grief! I'm just glad Keith was home to take care of it! Keith wants to know why the pediatrician never spotted it, but I figure she's always had congestion when she's gone to see the doctor! Anyway, I then asked her why she hadn't mentioned anything to me about it before, and she said she had, once, about a month ago. Time doesn't have much meaning for an eight year old, though. She could have said something to me a month ago, a week ago or a year ago, for all I know. All this time . . . Gross, gross, gross!

Keith figures that her breath ought to be better now, too, because the thing stunk to high heaven. I'll be interested to know if it affects her asthma, as well. Only a kid would run around day after day and not worry about something stuck up their nose. I repeat . . . gross!