Fear and Shopping

What with needing an entirely new wardrobe for the kids, I made an exhaustive--and exhausting--list and hit the stores with kids and Grandma in tow. I think we're set. I have about two weeks' worth of clothes for each kid (no matter what you say, Joseph can not survive with only 4 pairs of pants/shorts--I'd be doing laundry every day) and while we don't have a full compliment of colors it's a good mix. Once I stare at their closets I might return one or two things, but if I know me at all I probably won't.

We took a break in the middle of shopping and dropped off Grandma so we could go meet our teachers at our new school. Both Ms. B (2nd) and Ms. W (Kinder) are young, attentive and organized. The library isn't quite as big as our old one, but the librarian is cheerful and enthusiastic and we (the parents) will still be able to check out our own books. We each got a popsicle for coming, too. James sported a blue mouth for the rest of the day.

After the school, we visited two other stores and I began to wonder if, between children with wandering attention and stagnant checkout lines, I'd get dinner ready on time. We pulled it off with time to spare, though. Despite the grueling schedule, I would have called the day a triumph but for one thing, a literal pain in the rear.

When I was pregnant with James, three years ago, I somehow twisted my right sacroiliac joint out of alignment. I was in pain for months on end. After birth, things settled down and I've been fine, but the joint never went back together. I can actually feel a good 1/4 inch of elevation change (for lack of a better metaphor) at the top of my pelvis. Then, almost exactly two weeks ago, I turned to look at something as we drove past it and I could feel my tail snap and scream out in pain. I don't think there was actual screaming involved, but it was a close thing. Ever since then, though, I've spent nearly every evening lying on my back and wishing I didn't have to move ever again.

I'm beginning to wonder if I'll survive school. My mornings are pretty good but every step I take grates and jars, and the oddest things can aggravate the problem. I consider the ability to feel and hear your pelvis click and pop to be A Bad Thing. I don't want to drive the three blocks to school, though, and I really don't want to wait in the torturously long pick-up line, wasting gas. But will I be able to walk it? And if I can, will I be able to do anything else, afterward?