Little tradition

We have a tradition here at the Swigert household when Ryan is on call. On call day, usually around 6:30PM, I get a call from Ryan letting me know that he is done with evening rounds, etc., so I load the kids up and meet him at the fountain entrance of the hospital.  He unloads them and gives them a ride on a wheelchair right into the dining hall.

Where they scarf down chicken nuggets and chocolate pie.

When we are all done, Christopher Robin excitedly picks up the tray and carefully carries it

over to the conveyor belt. And most the time he doesn't spill anything on his way.

Then he stands there for several minutes watching the conveyor belt do it's work--carry dirty trays to the dish washer.

Then we turn Grace loose to run around. 

The place is empty, so no one minds.

She usually wants to go see the grand piano that plays itself, so she can dance around.

And Jace's favorite pit-stop is the ambulance.

Sometimes he is the driver, and

sometimes the patient.

But he prefers to be the driver when his sister will let him have a turn.

While the children are having a blast, Ryan and I discuss what he is expecting to come into the ER that night, and if he will get to come home and have some sleep.

And sometimes he does come home, but a lot of times he doesn't. Like last night, he came home for a few hours, but was up until midnight taking some post-op calls, then gone by 2:00AM.

And that's what we do to make it through call one day at a time!