My Betsy

There can only be one blip tonight, my beautiful Betsy, all excited and ready for her third and final Christmas Carol Concert.

Betsy tries very hard at school, she engages with everything and gives it all her best efforts. But she hardly ever gets singled out or picked for anything special. (I'm sure many parents feel the same).

This year, she was picked to do a reading at the Church. We have kept it secret from Chris and Jeremy and Tony, and have all been very excited about how surprised and thrilled they will be.

For the first time, we had good seats in the church. For the first time, Tony was able to make it. For the first time, Jeremy arrived on time. For the first time, there were nice people both in front and behind us. We were settled and I had tissues at the ready. Then Al announced he was going to be sick. There was some initial denial on my part, but after taking him out in the fresh air a couple of times, I had to accept he looked like a Victorian orphan with his ghost-like face and huge black rings around his eyes. I felt his forehead and it was like marble.

I had to take him home. I cried all the way, baby that I am. I met my friend Rachel, taking her two girls, Gracie and Hannah to the concert. I told her what happened and she said she would take Al if I could take the girls to the concert. I was tempted, but I felt I couldn't. I brought Al home. Ten minutes later Rachel was knocking on my door. She'd left Grace and Hannah at the Church with Lucy and had come to see if she could babysit Al so I could go back. I spoke to Al but he burst into tears and asked me not to go. I couldn't leave him. Rachel filmed Betsys piece and emailed it to me the moment she had finished. Modern technology is great, but it's the love and support of someone like Rachel that makes you feel better when you are sad.

Al has been throwing up constantly. At least he wasn't faking.