I had yet another internal ultrasound yesterday because it’s what I do on days ending in Y. I’ve seen the inside of my uterus more times in the last year than I saw some family members. I considered asking for a printed photo to include in my Christmas card this year. “Here’s Annabelle learning to rollerblade. Here are Linus and Lucy being lazy bums. Here’s Sarah’s uterus. If you look closely, you might see an ovary.” Everyone would hang it on their refrigerator. I also had 12 tubes of blood drawn for the fertility doctor. I thought for sure I’d need a blood transfusion by the time she was done.

We’ve made it the entire week so far without going to Annabelle’s doctor. Sure, it’s only Tuesday but last week we were there twice in 72 hours because evidently we love copays. She was diagnosed with swollen glands again. We cannot get a handle on those glands of hers. I asked the doctor to show me how to check the glands myself and he did, but I can’t tell a thing. Isn’t the ability to check glands and throats for infection something they should hand out at the hospital when the baby is born? They sent us out with a blanket and mesh underwear but I would have appreciated an honorary medical degree as well.

AB has many talents but she’s struggling with spelling and phonics. It’s an uphill battle. This has not stopped her from writing out sheets and sheets of notes and letters. She wrote this essay last week.

We must worship God every day. Every fifth day we must prepare a pot of water and dance on it.

Her religious practices are questionable but her heart is in the right place.