lauren.

happy thursday morning to you. on this blessed, sunny morning- my beautiful daughter walked into my room and informed me that i need to wash her sheets. "an accident?" i ask. she replies "not so much." the light through the curtains allows me to see that her skin appears raw and red.
"what happened?" i sit straight up in bed.

"not much" she replies calmly, yet sheepishly.

"lauren elise...what is up?"

"my ice pack melted, and my sheets are all wet."

(lauren needs an ice pack for one thing or another almost every night.)

"no big deal..i will wash them today."


fast forward 20 minutes. i am now showered and dressed and retrieving my coffee from the freezer. sitting on top of my coffee is a soggy, drippy plastic bag of pureed beets. my stomach contracts.

"lauren....is this what you used for an ice pack?"

"yeah, it melted..."

i can see that. i slowly descend the stairs to assess the damage. though beets on an almost new bedding set does have a lovely color...it is a mess like you have not seen in your life. drips on the carpet. soaked through to the mattress. spread out over the sheets, pillowcases and comforter.

"f.y.i. lauren. beets are not an ice pack."

"but it's my favorite color!"

"that's great...because i am guessing it will be here for a bit."

so help me, child.