Snowing Down!

What a fabulous day for the Gospel!!! Thank you, Lord, that everyday isn't like Thursday!

T3 didn't sleep too well last night, which found me bright eyed and bushy tailed! T went into work a little later, and so I rolled out of bed a little later as well, and thus began the rush to make it out the door on time. Both children were congested and T3 had coughed all night. He had trouble eating this morning due to that lovely runny nose! And MW woke a fussy little princess. We made it to school just in the nick of time. MW hid below the window to her classroom, hoping to escape going to school! Not a chance! She really does love school, I think she also loves the attention hiding brings!

Her Thanksgiving program was scheduled for 10am. T3 and I had spent that little gap of time between drop off and the program with a friend. T3 was unusually fussy. We found ourselves running into the preschool at approximately 10:01am, I was the LAST parent to arrive and the only parent who brought a younger sibling...lovely! Which normally would not be a problem, as T3 is so laid back, but this morning he was not himself. The children paraded into the classroom in their indian costumes (which were made from their Daddy's dyed old undershirts, cut into "fringe" on the bottom. MW had decorated hers with marker. She also wore a indian headdress made of construction paper feathers and a necklace made of painted pasta shells.) and stood in a row in front of the black board. They opened their program by yelling, "Happy Fall Y'all" at which point I had to rush a screaming T3 out of the room! Upon our return the children were singing all sorts of Thanksgiving-ish songs, well, to give a more accurate description, the children were standing there, a few were moving their lips, some picking their noses, and one little boy was crying, while their teacher sang the songs...after the "performance" (and two more times of me running out with screaming T3) MW settled into her seat for the party part! She ate her M&Ms and drank her juice box, ate her cheese curls, and never touched her cupcake or cookie! So funny...what kid does that?

After the party I took T3 home for a nap. He was sleeping so soundly that I just couldn't wake him, besides, I'd scheduled an appointment with the doctor for that afternoon at 1:40, so he wouldn't be getting an afternoon nap. So...I called our sweet neighbor, Uncle R and assured him T3 would sleep the entire time, that I'd sequester the dogs in the bedroom, and that I'd be right back. He was so sweet and agreed to come over while I ran to pick up MW.

MW was so excited to learn that Uncle R was at our house! She wanted to "sneak up" on him, so we snuck into the den, but Uncle R wasn't there! T3 had woken up right after I'd left! Uncle R was rocking him and had his little bunny rabbit "hopping" around, keeping T3 entertained! I think that was the happiest T3 was all day! Of course, MW was delighted to get to show off her Thanksgiving costume to another obliging grown up!

So Uncle R left and T3 immediately began fussing. I fixed lunch and had MW settled at the table. I was feeding T3 and things seemed stable, normal, calm, nice. And then I remembered the dogs. So, I went to let them out of our bedroom and as I opened the door, there appeared to be snow everywhere! It was like a scene from a commercial...snow floating in the air, covering furniture, on the bed, all over the floor, and then Scout darted out of the room, and I saw Ramsey cowering in the corner. He was on his back like a dying roach...and then I realized what all that snow was...it was the down from our comforter! Those dogs had ripped, no, more like shredded our down comforter! I grabbed Ramsey and stuck his nose into the comforter and proceeded to spank him...he tee-tee'd all over what was left of the comforter, on himself, on the floor, and on me! I had just spent over an hour making repairs to that comforter! I had mended and stitched and sowed and it was all clean and ready for winter! It matched the colors of our bedding...we LOVED that comforter!

So, I really couldn't deal with the feathers at the time, so I closed the door and returned to the kitchen to finish feeding T3...only my sweet little MW had decided to help and feed him all by herself! Green beans were EVERYWHERE! All over T3, the high chair, the floor, his hair, up his nose...you name it and it was covered in green beans! And MW was so proud of how helpful she'd been! So I praised her efforts and complimented how helpful she'd been and thanked her. T3 was having a good time smearing green beans into his nose and hair...and since we had a doctors appointment, which we needed to leave for in about fifteen minutes, I cleaned him the best I could and we left for the doctor.

Now, both children had gotten their flu shots about a month before and we'd been told then to return in a month for their booster shot...so I figured we'd kill two birds with one stone. So, I tell MW that she'll be getting a shot. (I didn't want to surprise her with it...) so she's telling me how much she does NOT want to go to the doctor. She'd just watched LIttle Women, so I thought, "Oh, here's a teaching moment." So I remind her of Beth getting sick with Scarlet Fever and how she eventually died...which we'd talked about when she watched the movie...so I tell MW that if Beth could have gotten a shot for Scarlett Fever, she probably wouldn't have gotten so sick or died from it. All the while, I'm trying to relate how wonderful modern medicine is and what a blessing shots really are...so she tells me she'd rather die that get this booster shot! Oh MW...

So we get called back for our appointment and MW is NOT wanting to go back. She's on the verge of tears! (You must understand that we'd already gone for this booster shot once before. MW went in SCREAMING crying! And the lady at the front desk said it was too close to lunch time and that we'd have to return in an hour and a half...ha! Don't even get me started on that! We'd been told come anytime! No one said anything about closing for lunch...at ten 'til twelve!!!) So...we get back to the room and the nurse comes in and tells us that MW doesn't have to get the booster because she'd had the flu shot before this year!!! Could someone get their facts straight!? Do they understand what it's like to tell a three year old twice that she's going to get a shot...to deal with the ramifications and emotions of a drama queen...twice! To then learn she doesn't even have to get the shot! I'm going to need therapy after all this! (just kidding!) So MW starts jumping up and down screaming with delight! This is the best thing she has EVER heard!

The doctor comes in and checks the kids, and T3 has a double ear infection! No wonder he'd been so fussy! So...two hours, a co-pay, and a bottle of medicine later, we find ourselves home...T3 cries without stopping for about 45 minutes...finally the tylenol kicks in and he relaxes a little. MW was whiny, not feeling well herself, and couldn't seem to stop the tears. I put T3 down, and got MW settled in for "rest time."

I called my sister about something and I wound up falling apart on the phone...I could not stop crying! I finally got off the phone and proceeded to cry for another hour or so...I am never like this! What a day! So there I am, on my bed, curled into a ball, sobbing. T had worked until 10 the night before, he didn't even see the kids and wasn't expected home until 10 that night! I think the crazy day, plus the pressure of the last two weeks of testing for T had caught up with me. Finally, I thought I had control of my emotions and I sat up and saw down everywhere!!! And then the tears started all over again...and so I got out the vacuum and began the clean-up...and I was half way crying and half way laughing. It really is funny, sort of. I mean, it's done. I can't un-do it. There was down all over my bedroom. I should've let MW come in and play in it...oh well...there were a precious few minutes left of nap and rest time, so I tried in vain to suck all that down into my poor little vacuum. (Which I had to empty several times!)

So this had become one of "those" days I was just hoping to survive. With the realization that I'd be finding down in nooks and crannies for the next several days, I put away the vacuum. MW came downstairs, ready for the last portion of the day. T3 woke, still fussy ( I would be, too!) and I got dinner going.

Post dinner, MW is in pajamas, T3 is screaming while I'm using the bulb syringe in his nose...I finally settle him in time to administer his medicine...which he just loves! (NOT!) So I'm trying to get him to swallow it, rather than gag, and he's spitting medicine everywhere...and the phone rings. I hadn't heard from T all day, so I pick up gagging T3, mind you, we both have oragne medicine dripping, and we run for the phone! It's about 7:45 and it's T calling to say, surprise!!! He's coming home earlier than scheduled! All I could manage was, "please hurry!"

And then a friend called to check on me...and I lost it again. All she said was, "I was just thinking about you and heard your kids were sick and wanted to check on you." I was like, "Hang on, I'm sorry, but I can't stop crying..." She got me laughing and told me she could still remember "those" kinds of days!

And what a day it was! T finished his testing! Almost two weeks worth! He doesn't get any feedback on how he did until December 21st...We got both kids to bed and collapsed! LIterally!

Friday morning found me much better...rested and ready to enjoy another day and my precious children. I am so thankful that most days are not like Thursday! In fact, I can't recall another day quite like that one! Thank goodness!

PS - I am posting pictures from a parade we went to last weekend which was loads of fun! As well as a few random pics! Enjoy!