Garrett (9) and Paige (4) sound really awful. They have both had numerous bloody noses, their chests are tight and they just generally sound awful. The rest of us just have the sore throat that comes from breathing yukky air.

This morning the air smelled like a very large ashtray. I sent the kids back into the house and told them NO SCHOOL TODAY. I just didn't want to send them out into that muck again.

Cheers and hoots of happiness went out all around....except for one very disappointed 9 year old boy. He insisted he was fine and the air didn't bother him at all (wheezing and coughing through his protestations).

He cried. He pleaded. He wanted to go to school.

The other kids looked at him like he was an alien from another planet.

Mom was giving them a pass day. They could play games, watch movies, make cookies, do what ever they wanted.

What is wrong with that kid?

I felt like I was in that Cell phone commercial where the Dad is arguing with the daughter telling her "I WILL BUY YOU THAT NEW CELL PHONE, DON'T ARGUE WITH ME"!!!!

This is how our conversation went:

Me: Garrett, you sound awful. I don't think you should go to school.

Garrett: PLEASE MOM I JUST CANT MISS SCHOOL WHAT ABOUT MY FRIENDS WHAT ABOUT MY TEACHER SHE WILL MISS ME OH PLEASE MOM PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME MISS SCHOOL (the child did not take a breath through this long and arduous plea, he did have to stop to cough up a lung every few words though)

Me: I am so glad you love school but it just wouldn't be good for you to go today. I'm sorry the answer is no, you may not go to school.

Garrett: Throws himself onto the ground and cries for 15 minutes.

He is refusing to have anything to do with me.

I am the meanest mom ever.

I am making him eat pancakes and bacon and play dominoes with his sister.

Someone better call social services. It is unclear whether he will be able to survive this torture for very long.

Update on the Fire: It is closer to us but we are in no danger. Just lots of smoke and soot all around. We found my sister Stacey. They had been up in their Mountain house and lost power for 3 days so had no way to contact anyone. The firefighters are doing a great job and hopefully this little nightmare will be over soon. Several of the kids teachers had to leave school yesterday as they were told their homes would have to be evacuated. Please continue to pray for all those affected by the fires.