Aria rolled her ankle

Last night Aria was jumping on the tramp with friends and rolled her ankle. Some major tears and hugs later, she appeared ok enough to keep going for the night. Later on in the evening the swelling and bruising had set in, and it was apparent she needed ice, elevation and rest as a remedy.

It is no secret that most things Aria does is done at the intensity of a kid in a candy shop. At times you can find her hugging the animals like they need to be squeezed for survival. Even though we have told her that the animals appreciate it if she holds back on her squeeziness, you can see her whole body shake and face turn red as she restrains herself. If you doubt her intensity, you should see her dance moves! This is who Aria is, and how she approaches life.

Aria is also cautious and likes to take things slow when it’s new, or out of her comfort zone. Amusement park visits are filled with a lot of encouraging words, and promises that everything will be fine. She still is very hesitant to get on a trampoline with me, and it took a couple of years for her to stop screaming “No Jumping” if it even appeared that I would get on. For all the encouraging we do to get her out of her comfort zone, I always worry that these little set backs bring her back to an overly defensive posture in enjoying life.

It has been good to see the family rally around Aria as she is needing to just rest and wait for her things to heal. Last night while putting Alyx to bed, she looked sad. When I asked her what was up, she said “I’m worried about Aria, and I also feel like she’s getting a lot of attention and it’s making me jealous”. Alyx and Aria are best friends, and love being around each other. Also, in the middle of the night, she had to use the bathroom, and her big brother Jace woke up to carry her. Even the Cat is risking squeeziness to help in making Aria feel better about things!

As I reflect on this little speed bump in the road, I am filled with gratitude for the examples of love and service that happen when the going gets a little rough. In case you don’t know me well, verbal empathy is not my strong suit, but it appears my children may be learning from my mistakes, or simply choosing to follow their Mother’s example.

Mike Blom