A trip to the ER

I am a little late posting this, but it was a first for the Marlowe household so I wanted to be sure and get it down so I could remember it.
Steve went to Missouri on Sept. 27 and was heading home Sept. 29, when he got a phone call from me. I was grilling hot dogs for the kids and I, when Reagan fell on the patio. That afternoon alone she had fallen at least 3 times on the patio, but this fall was different. She cried, but it didn't seem harder than any other fall. Everything was good until I picked her up and saw blood streaming from her forehead. Now typically, I am the emotional one, but since Steve was gone I knew I had to keep it together. So we came in and cleaned it off, but it wouldn't stop bleeding. I called our pediatrician (who was closing in 10 minutes) and they recommended heading to Children's Hospital ER. I turned off the grill, packed us up and off we went. That is when I called Steve and I think I did a good job keeping it together. Reagan had stopped crying, although blood was running down her face and Mason just kept saying, "Reagan needs a band aid."
Luckily, the ER wasn't busy when we got there and they took us back right away. (it could have helped that she had dried blood all down her nose). I knew what was coming, although I didn't want it to be true. Stitches. Just 3, but still my sweet baby girl and her perfect little forehead would forever tell the story of this day.

I didn't take a picture when it happened. Obviously, I was a little preoccupied.
But I did snap this on my cell phone while waiting to get stitches.
They had already cleaned her up, but it kept bleeding.

When we got home, we finished dinner and the kids went to bed. Once they were asleep, I sat down, had a beer and cried. For the first time since becoming a mom, I realized I couldn't protect them from the world. Life will happen and we can't stop it, but what matters is how we handle it.

On Sunday, Steve left for another work trip so the kids and I headed to church alone. I thanked God for watching over our family, keeping us safe, and that it was only 3 stitches. I also asked that we NOT go to the ER again while dad was gone :)