Counting Teeth

I find myself with all the traveling to find ways I can really be with the kids. Not just 'register' present, but experience things with them; good things and not so good things. For some on my team, that means not missing any baseball games or flute recitals; swapping trips and critical customer visits with one another, so that these most important 'meetings' are never missed.

It's wonderful to be part of a professional team that functions at times as a family.

For me, my children's doctor visits are important 'meetings' I do not cancel; especially the first time appointments...this morning was the dentist for my son. He is now 3, potty trained [daytime], loves construction equipment [you know the gig: excavators, diggers and payloaders] and, as I found out today, has 20 teeth.

After watching his older sister get her teeth counted [she has 24 by the way]; he enthusiastically leaped into the robotic dentist chair ready for the 'tickle' toothbrush to clean his teeth.

Perhaps it's only me and inadequacies that reside deep down inside, but a trip to the dentist, doctor or teacher conference feels a little like it's me on the stand. It's me getting checked for cavities, for nearsightedness or assessed for intellectual capabilities.

After seeing 2 kids grow and a third child beginning the journey, I realize how much personality they a born with; how truly knit together they already come into this world.

It leaves me feeling blessed when the dentist says "no cavities" rather than boastful. After all it's not my mouth being checked, right?