a sick, thankful Sunday

August 2008: Sweet Kelly Cowan tells me she is pregnant again & I email her a few days later to say, "oooh! Can I please throw you a family tree shower?" knowing she loves family history & this is a fun idea.

January 2009: planning for the shower goes into high gear. I insist on making handmade invitations rather than evites, because - come on, this is going to be a classy deal. All of us throwing the shower start an ongoing email putting together the menu, decor, fun games, & such to make the greatest shower we can imagine.

This past week: we all run around making our plans and purchases, getting extremely excited. I make up what I think is the funnest shower game ever (see bottom note) and have happy dreams about playing it at Kelly's & making her feel loved.

Last night, 8pm: Elias wakes up a little grumpy from a sweet slumber complaining that his "baby" hurts, you know - the one in his belly. Precious. He seems fine, so we cuddle in bed and I kiss his sweet face and realize I have a little bit of a sore throat. I also think to myself, "hmm... I hope he's not REALLY sick. Maybe I shouldn't kiss him so much".

9pm: Sweet E pukes all over me & our bed. Dang.
Forty minutes later he seems fine and I resolve to make it through the night, go to the shower the next day and not breathe on ANYONE.

10pm: I'm writing a text message to Kalle saying, "this is the scary part where you just sit scared by the monitor and pray you don't hear them again because that means they're really sick". After I hit send, I hear a moan & before I make it back to our bed carrying him, Elias pukes again. Dang. Dang.

10:40pm: I'm writing a text message to Lauren this time, saying, "now I just pray I don't hear Glory getting sick". As I hit send, I hear Glory puke. Dang. Dang. Dang.

11:00pm: Nick is holding Glory - covered in towels for when she pukes again, Elias is in our bed - covered with towels in case he pukes again. I am in the bathroom, puking.
Dang. Dang. Dang. Dang.

midnight - 11am Sunday
lots of thrashing and tears and moaning and puking, and now - coughing

12pm Sunday:
Lauren takes all my supplies to Kalle for the shower, I shed a little tear.

2pm: I stop throwing up and start the uncontrollably coughing fits. I finally fall asleep for a few minutes and try not to think about the fact that the shower I so want to be at is starting right now.

8pm: I'm back in bed, still coughing and planning on a doctor's visit tomorrow. Just beyond thankful that this didn't happen while Nick was gone, beyond thankful that Nick is totally healthy & the kids seem to be on the mend. Totally thankful this didn't happen tonight when I could have unknowingly infected all the ladies at the shower today. So, thanks Jesus.


**** now for the funnest shower game ever ****
I think I made this up, but maybe someone has done it before.
I used this website and made twenty pictures of projected baby faces using Kelly & Jason, friends coming to the shower, and celebrities. I used all sorts of combinations (think Kelly & Marilyn Manson, Jason & Rihanna, myself & Brad Pitt). And of course - I made just one picture of a projected baby face using Kelly & Jason's picture. Posted them all on a posterboard & shower attendees had to pick Kelly & Jason's baby. I hope it was fun!

oh they places you'll puke.

WARNING: do not read the following if you can't handle a little pregnancy puking stories. I figure if I have to live through it, I may as well laugh about it.

• The other day we had a team of people working at our home, like for a service project. There were a few adults, but mostly middle school aged preteens. Coincidentally, the same morning - all our water was broken which left me without a toilet to puke in. Right after breakfast, I felt it coming on and felt a little panicked - where to puke? WHERE TO PUKE? All of a sudden, I'd waited too long and I burst outside to relieve myself. When I looked up, about six prepubescent teens were staring at me. Nice.
  

• I usually stop puking around four or five p.m., which is a nice little gift from the Lord. But two nights ago, at 10:30 pm, I was feeling horrible and trying to ignore it until it overcame me. The only problem is that I was tucked in bed and our toilet is around 15 feet away. I think I actually made it in two large bounds and walked back into our bedroom to hear Nick laughing. So much for "morning" sickness.
  

• Today I was at Kelly's with the kids having a nice little playdate. After changing two poopy diapers, I knew my ticket was up. I preemptively made my way to her guest bathroom and did my business. When I made my way back out, I commented on how nice her fall bathroom decorations looked. She said something to the extent of, "Men could never do this!" Now my husband is TOUGH, but yeah - I don't think he could puke & simultaneously admire a friend's decorating.

I know it's gross, but if I don't laugh - I'll just be annoyed!

Is it seriously already Sunday again?

So - no, I know it's actually Saturday night but it's almost Sunday. Last Sunday is the last full day I really remember feeling like I was alive. Let me give you a brief update of our lives since my last post.

When Elias finally quit throwing up and Glory was back in bed, Nick and I sat back against our pillows and sighed with relief. Out of the corner of my eye I saw my cell phone light up and I immediately started laughing - with two girls 40 weeks pregnant, I knew our night was nowhere near over. Sure enough, Mickaela's water had broken.

The next forty-eight hours are blurry. I know I got the virus in diarrhea form, Glory got it in throw up form, Lauren got it in throw-up form, & Debi (who runs our ministry) got it in diarrhea form. Mickaela spent 28 hours in labor and eventually had an emergency c-section. (Her sweet baby girl is beautiful)

Our kids have cried & whined for countless hours and between the two of us - we've gotten barely any sleep. There were some sweet moments - Anaya Grace is beautiful & Mickaela is adjusting really well. Marilee made us so many great dairy-free delights that I've been munching on for days. I had some sweet Jesus time at small group. Kalle and I got to hang out for two days in a row, and we haven't for weeks. Also - I got to some awesome phone conversations this week. One HOUR convo with my sis, a good talk with Merry & and a nice update with Luh Hood.

Sooooo... a summary of the week:
- Our ministry here is hard, but so good. Especially when babies are born.
- I am now a germaphobic freak. Watch out for me & my Lysol can.
- I officially miss Charlotte/family intensely. Officially. Intensely.
- My mom was right, when it comes to kids: "One is none & two is twenty." And I'm adding on to that phrase - "When you all get a virus - you want to slit your wrists." Oh wait, that doesn't rhyme.
- Lastly, I'm really glad blogger is letting you write blogs & post them in the future because when I do have time to write, I always want to write like three at a time and then I don't have time for a while.


(ps - here is beautiful Anaya. Look for more new pics under Our pictures Link)