If and when Nick and I have children, we know this much is true:

S/he will have some seriously messed up feet and ankles.

Nick came home last week and his right ankle was so swollen it looked like he had accidentally swallowed a baseball and it was lodged in his ankle. A doctor and a physical therapist visit later, Nick has been given a series of exercises and stretches to strengthen it. Better to strengthen it now, the doctor explained, than to wait until you’re older and there’s nothing he can do about it.

Mhm. That medical advice sounds familiar. OH YES, I remember now – I told him that exact same thing about 287 times over the past 2 years. “Fix it now, it’ll be harder later on.”

He’s mobile and it doesn’t hurt much, but his ankle’s still pretty huge.

In the fourth grade, I had to wear orthopedic shoes to correct two extra bones in my feet. I have absurdly flat feet and the extra bones, located on the inside of my feet, can’t take much pressure and so I wore huge corrective brown shoes for my entire fourth grade year. Everyone called me, “Grandma” and I cried off and on for a year. Finally, the humiliation was too much and I put my Grandma shoes away, sabotaging my future of having any sort of a life with normal feet. If I had known then that my future husband would have severe ankle problems and by not fixing my own feet problems I would be jeopardizing our children’s future, I may have tried to stick it out with my orthopedic footware.

Despite our failing feet, things continue to go splendidly here in Boston. This past weekend, we had visitors. An old college roommate, Cara Hansen, was passing through and we met up for drinks. Nick’s aunt and uncle, Andy and Linda Meyer, were celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary here in Boston and we had a great evening in Harvard Square and stopping for a drink at Cheers.

Familiar faces are always welcome! Book soon and frequently.