Happy Days are Here Again

Ahh man, maybe if I didn't leave this until 11:00 at night I wouldn't have to scramble to find something to post about that doesn't border on lame. Lame night after night is not such a good thing if I want to keep you all coming back. And trust me, I do. Or else I would just invest in a pretty journal and fancy pen and be done with it. Well wouldn't that be an idea for a post - an exert from my journal. Wow. I don't think so. We are close people, but not that close. heh heh

Really, it doesn't matter, because there is just one thing that I want to say tonight. Only one thing on my mind...

HE'S BAAAAAAACK!!!!

Still a little snotty. Still a little rumbly in his breathing. Still coughing. BUT he is smiling. And talking. And playing. And eating. And giggling. And after more than a week of sick baby, that is the BEST news I have, and deserves a post all on its own. Welcome back my baby!!

Smiles

There are not too many perks to having a house full of sickies. Does 2 sick members actually count as a house full? Anyway, not alot of laughter and good times around here...but there are a few things that have been silver linings around black clouds. And so for tonight's post, here is what has been making me smile...

~ After church, one of the ladies called and asked if I needed anything. I felt very touched by her concern. I hung up and told Harv that what I really would have liked was for her to bring us supper, because as far as a housewife/cook goes, I am just not keeping it together. I was too shy to ask. 10 minutes later my good friend Julie called and said that she was bringing us supper tomorrow night, because she just knows. I love my church. They make me smile.

~ Having a sick husband means having a husband at home. It has been a loooong time since we have shared a Sunday evening at home. Tonight we caught up on TV shows and I strung popcorn for the tree. I love cleaning out my PVR. And I love LOVE stringing popcorn. Two smiles.

~ Sam and I have been having lots (and I mean LOTS) of cuddle time. Sweet smile.

~ I have been playing this game on Facebook - Island Paradise. It is perfect for killing time in the middle of the night when you are popping in and out of baby's room every ten minutes trying to get the little hacker back to sleep. Tired smile.

~Sam woke up from a little nap this afternoon and Harv actually got a giggle out of him. After nothing but crying for almost 7 days, that was the most beautiful sound to my ears!! BIG smile.

~And the fact that yet another post is done (squeaked out just before the stroke of midnight), and I have almost made it through the month brings a big smile. Shock and awe smile.

My Aching Heart

The very last thing I feel like doing right now is blogging. I am so tired. BUT – I started this thing, and I have made it to the 18th and by George, I am not giving up now. Have I mentioned how tired I am?

Last night after I read Becky’s comment I sweetly persuaded Harv to move to the futon for the night. I then collected my sick little guy and tucked him in securely beside me for the night. He fell asleep clutching my hand with his little one. And I laid awake all night listening to him breathe. It was a long long night. He slept poorly. And his breathing sounded so terrible. Oh - a side note…another thing they don’t tell you in prenatal classes is how your heart will be ripped to shreds when your child is sick.

Yesterday, the doctor at the hospital took a swab for H1N1, but we won’t find out what those results are for at least a week. Honestly I was hoping that they would tell me I was just being an over-anxious mom and send me out the door. But they didn’t. In the meantime we talked to Sam’s pediatrician who wanted us to bring him in. So today we hauled our little sickie to Winnipeg. She said that he has Croup. I don’t really know what croup is. The only thing I remember about croup is on Anne of Green Gables when Diana’s little sister Minnie May was "awful sick" with the croup and Matthew and Anne rushed over to the Berry’s to “administer the Ipecac". It was all very dramatic. And then there was Matthew…sweet Matthew who said to Marilla later in that quiet voice of his…”You would have been proud of the way she saved that Berry baby.” Ah Matthew. Sweet Matthew. And aahh, my sweet little Sam.

But I digress.

So he has Croup…and the jury is still out on the H1N1. They sent us home…told us to expect this to last about 7 days. Said to try to keep his fever down and watch his breathing. It’s all just a little painful.

And then, in the midst of it all…my sick little baby, all lethargic, sickly, and barely moving…raises his little hands…clap-clap, clap-clap. The little trooper.

And once again, my aching heart is ripped to shreds.

And That's All She Wrote...

Not too long of a post tonight. I have a sick, sick little Sam over here. And of coarse, new mommy is completely and illogically freaking out. We took him to the hospital today when after I went into his room and he had this raspy, shallow breathing that sent all the H1N1 warning bells off in my head. My poor little guy. He is so sick. And he just stares. And whimpers. And stares some more. And really...I just can't take it.

I know I am being completely ridiculous here. But can you pray anyway?

Toxic Mix of Disinfectant and Herbal Tea Cause Household Implosion. News at 11:00

These are desperate times. Here I am, up in the middle of the night (it is amazing how 6:43 A.M. can feel like the middle of the night to me) performing the ultimate act of desperation – herbal tea. I don’t do tea. I don’t do any of the hot drinks, with the exception of the occasional hot chocolate. This often leaves a hostess pondering what to do with me as they offer – coffee or tea? And I look at them with chagrin and think – got anything else back there? How ‘bout a banana smoothie? No, I’ve never been much of a social drinker. Though the other day I was holding Harv’s coffee for him, and I realized, that I don’t think it is so much of the drink that appeals to you people, but rather that feeling of holding a cup of something hot and steamy. It is amazing how I all of a sudden felt like such an adult. I think next time I’m at a function, I will ask for a cup of hot water to hold. And maybe I’ll ask for it in a Tim Horton’s cup - the ultimate act of social coolness.

Anyways, but I digress. Where was I? Oh yes…middle of the night, hot tea… and a raging sore throat. RAGING. It has been quite a week. First I had the flu – complete with projectile vomiting, cold sweats and projectile…well…I’ll let you figure that out. It wasn’t pretty people. Then as I was getting over it, Harv got it. Seriously…this has become the house of death. You can just sense the infestation of germs and disease hovering in the air. I think that I am going to have to hose the house down with disinfectant if we make it through this. And now, I’ve got this ding dang sore throat. I think that Harv and I are just breeding germs. I think we have officially become the germ headquarters for the city of Yorkton. The other night I woke up and we were sleeping face to face, about a foot from each other, just breathing each other’s air and recycling germs. I thought to myself… “Well this can’t be good”. But isn’t it nice how we like to share?

Well, what more is there to say about this? It’s all just a desperate plea for sympathy and maybe some more chicken noodle soup from my mother. And you all know how good I am with the sickness and in health side of my marriage vows. Yes…good times here in our household. Good times.

Hey – this tea isn’t half bad. Maybe I have been missing out. If I discover a new love for tea, will I think that this flu pandemic has been worth it all? Somehow I don’t think so. Ok, must go. If I’m up and miserable anyways, I might as well start the disinfecting process. But first I am going to hold this steamy cup of tea a little longer and revel in feeling like a grown up. A sick grown up…but a grown up none the less.

Excuses, Excuses!!

Just when I thought I had used every excuse in the book...

We are postponing our evening walk tonight, because there is a skunk loitering outside our back door. We are prisoners in our own home!! And I thought I had heard every excuse for not exercising!

P.S. Becky, if you don't see us in church on Sunday it may be time to alert animal control.

Too Good to be True?

Maybe I am a little sceptical, but doesn't this seem too good to be true? A little wonder spray that makes your veggies and cooking and popcorn taste all buttery, but it is absolutely fat free, calorie free, trans fat free...all that crap... free. How can this be? And why didn't anyone discover this little dieters delight years ago? What's the catch? Am I going to drop 5 lbs off my hips, but gain 5 lbs from a growth in my neck - a complication from some strange chemical tucked away inside this little miracle bottle? And yet I have tried this. And it seems as good as it sounds. And today it faced a big test...I sprayed it on my corn on the cob. And yes, it was amazing. Soon I will give it the ulitmate and final test. I will use it on my popcorn. If it doesn't shrivel it all up I am sold. And I shall never buy margarine again. My mother would be so proud.

I'm Walkin' on Sunshine...

I feel all tingly. I’m tingling all over. Not the kind of tingly you feel when you are about to plunge to most certain death on the Drop of Doom at an amusement park. Not even the kind of tingly you feel when your spouse walks in the room and looks at you just so. I am not even talking about the tingles you get when your foot falls asleep and you do that little dance/shake movement to try to wake it up again. The tingles that I am feeling are so much more self satisfying than any of those things. What I am feeling is the tingles that you feel after a good sweatin’ exercise session. Yes…it is amazing.

We have recently added an addition to our home. We bought a treadmill. And let me tell you people…I am feeling the burn. It was a big decision. We left the store and I said to Harv that I felt like throwing up. I don’t do well with purchases over $20. But we got it, and so far it has been a welcome edition. I am really trying to take advantage of the thrill of the purchase, and the newness of the machine. Right now it is still fun and exciting to use it. I want to make the most of it before the morning comes when I have to force myself to even go near it.

Now there are no excuses. For I am convinced that neither cold nor ice, neither heat nor mosquitoes, neither gas prices (to drive to the gym) nor darkness, neither threats of mugging nor anything else in Shirley’s creative excuse book for not exercising will be able to separate me from that beloved treadmill.

Welcome to the family oh happy walking machine!

Oh! I am told it also doubles as a great clothes hanging device on laundry day! Woo Hoo!!!

Tornado Watch...

I woke up in the middle of the night with a feeling strangely reminiscent to the 1996 film Twister staring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton. The setting of the scene was the aforementioned actors staring up in horror yelling “It’s backbuilding! It’s backbuilding!!” as they watched the sky twist, churn and sputter in ferocious anger.

I thought of this scene as I clutched my stomach and ran to the bathroom to throw up.

I’m sick. The flu’s got me.

I’ve got a mini twister churning inside me. Harv’s got it too. We are sharing rights to the barf bucket. Isn’t it nice how couples share?

Heart Health

Harv and I attended a “Heart Health” class yesterday for…well…for a healthy heart. For three hours they filled our brains to overflowing. We left there quite motivated, and quite confused. Why does everything have to be so complicated? Bad cholesterol, good cholesterol, triglycerides; Saturated fats, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, Trans fats. Soluble fibres and Insoluble fibres. I can’t keep it all straight! Nuts are very high in fat, but you should eat them, because they are high in good cholesterol – but not too many, because of the fat. You should choose a lower fat salad dressing, but not NO FAT, because then they are too high in sugars and in salts. And butter…don’t even get me started on the butter. The best margarines have 6 grams or more of unsaturated fats, which is determined by adding the values listed for the polyunsaturated and the monounsaturated fats. When the unsaturated fats add up to less that 6 grams, the margarine contains too much saturated fats and Trans fatty acids, which can raise your bad cholesterol levels and lower your good cholesterol levels. AAAUUUUGGGGHHHHH!!!! TOO MUCH INFORMATION. I feel like I need to take a brain health class to recover from the heart health class. I can understand why Oprah just hired Rosie to do all her healthy cooking for her!!! Apparently to make it easier, there is a heart healthy check on approved foods – but we should be careful, because some brands have been adding a check of their own to promote sales. So we can buy the red checks, but avoid the blue or the green. Why can’t it be easier? Why can’t they just split the supermarket in half…good foods – bad foods? When I run the world that is what I am going to do. And you better believe that ice cream will be in the good foods department.

You know, I could really turn this whole thing into quite the spiritual application about how it is so much easier to bring our inner hearts in tune with God. I feel a pretty good Daily Bread reading stirring in my brain. But to tell you the truth – my head is still spinning from yesterday’s overload, and I think any more stimulation, and it may just explode. So I will leave you to ponder those things on your own. So until next time, I wish you a heartfelt farewell.

A Sick Start to the New Year.

Well Happy 2006 to you all. I was really hoping to ring in the new year with a blog full of hope and expectations for another year. I don't do resolutions, I do hopes. But instead I am ringing in the new year with the flu. Fever. Aches. Chills. Lots of sleeping. It's not pleasent people. And so with all the Christmas and holiday stuff, and now with being sick - I am behind on my updates on the blog. My sister told me if I didn't write soon I was going to lose my following of readers. The problem is that I am not sure what to write about...I could write on the shocking amount of blankets that one can find in a household, and how even under all those layers I can still freeze. I could write on the sick persons ability to simply sit and stare for hours on end. I am glad I now have a window to look out of. I could write about how my arms feel like they are moving through thick mud when I move them.

But even with all these sickly thoughts I still have high hopes that 2006 will be a good year. Honestly it won't take much to be better than 2005. But that is the great thing about a new year...you can put it all behind you and start fresh - and I love that. And so armed with that hope and an arsenal of blankets and drugs I wish you all the best in 2006.

Floaties of Goodness on the Journey of Life...

Yesterday we spent the day in the hospital. We were there to offer any love and support that we could to a dear friend who is literally hanging on for her life fighting off cancer. She has 2 tumours in her brain, and several on her spine. A week ago today she went to the Doctor's to investigate a painful back that had been bothering her for a couple of weeks. The next day she was having emergency surgery and staring eye ball to eye ball with her own immortality. Please pray for Shauntelle. She is going through some dark and unexpected waters. It really puts life into perspective when you realize just how quickly things can change, and just how little control that we actually have over things. I like to delude myself into thinking that I am totally in control. And I like to wish that life could be all roses and fluff. But that is not how life is, and sometimes when you are not looking, life can come around and karate chop you in the gut, knocking the wind out of your sails. And that can leave you spiralling. BUT we are not without hope...For "Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so GREAT is His unfailing love." Lamentations 3:32

A funny thing about life is it's tendancy to intertwine sorrows with joys. For even though we spent the day in the hospital, we were able to see some great friends that we don't get to see very often. Friends that were also there to offer support. Let me tell you about Doug and Carol...

Doug and Carol can make my heart happy just by being in a room. They don't even have to say anything. I'm just glad that they are there. They were our very first "couple friends". You know, the friends that you make together as couples, as opposed to the ones that you inherit as part of the marriage contract when you and your spouse blend together your individual circles of friends. Doug and Carol were our first. And we just love them. There is always alot of talking and laughter when we see them, and just alot of good feelings floating around in general. Floaties of goodness. Seeing them was a blessing in what could have been an otherwise really difficult day.

So today I am feeling thankful...I am thankful that on this unpredictable, wild, out of control journey of life that we are on - God gives us friendships. Friendships that make the way a little smoother. That bring out joy in the midst of sorrow. That ease the heaviness of burdens. And that generate laughter in the midst of it all. Thank you Lord, for the gift of friends.

Where Do You Go to Get a Pot of Soup Around Here?!?

Harv is in bed sick today. He's got the flu. I sent him to bed early last night, but it was a rough night for all, let me tell you. I knew that this wasn't a conjured up ploy for some extra TLC when I made his favorite supper - Creamy Pepper Chicken, and he hardly ate a bite. Then I knew...off to bed with you. With a little kiss on the cheek, and a pail beside the bed, he was off. OK...before I come off sounding too maternal and caring - let me share a little piece of info with you about yours truly. I am not good with sick people. I mean, I can give a pitying, sad looking sympathetic face like the best of them. And I can touch your forehead with the back of my hand feigning some sort of fever knowledge, but other than that I am at a loss. It is a real problem. I remember when I was interning as Dean of Women at Millar, one of my responsibilities was the daily check on the sickies in the dorm. It was my WORST job! I would stand there shuffling uncomfortably in the doorway with my sympathy face and my feeble..."Well ok then, you get some sleep now.Bye Bye now." I am just not good with "sick".

My mother is great with sick people. She was always the best nurse. I remember faking stomach aches so that I could stay home and have her care for me, while I lay on the couch watching Jim and Tammy Faye Baker on PTL with great facination. Why did Tammy Faye cry all the time? And how did she get her lashes looking so thick? These were the ponderings of a young child. And mom would check in on me with all the right words to say, the right level of patience for lingering whining, and there was that perpetual pot of soup simmering on the stove, just waiting to offer comfort. She should have been a nurse. How I wish that those genes were passed on to me, but alas they were not. Too bad really, cause they would have helped me out greatly in this line of work! The funny thing about it is - I LOVE hospital visitations. It is one of my favorite parts of pastoring. Maybe it is because I get to buy flowers and swoop in like a ray of sunshine. In and out like a happy little elf leaving a trail of good feelings behind. Maybe THAT'S IT!! Maybe it's not that I am not good with sick people, it's just that I need props! Come to think of it, Mom always had that pot of soup handy. Maybe I just need to have a supply of the right tools with me at all times. I'll have to ponder on that for a while. But in the meantime, I should go check on Harv. And because I don't have my flower power with me, I will have to dig into the recesses of my compassion and rely on my best sympathy face. I better go practice. Have a good day all and...BE WELL.