Ahhhh the Joys of Parenting......

Sorry I didn't post on Thursday. If you can believe it - I fell asleep. By the end of the evening I've been getting so tired lately. Wonderfully full days - I am blessed.

Good weekend. Had dinner with the Rockin Pastor Mary on Friday and had a fabulous time. Sat was kind of boring actually until we spontaneously decided to drive down to Phx and have dinner w/ my mom and Britt. Something my WOW class has taught me is to start thinking "why not?" in lieu of "why?". It's actually been really great. Until that is, we were just about home and Madeline puked in the car - and not just a little - the kind of puking you only see in movies. Three times in a row. Seriously. She's not sick - well, she is, but with a head cold that has only gotten worse as the weekend progressed. She was coughing so hard and had such congestion that she made herself throw up. Sooooooo grosss - we had just had pizza for dinner. Yuk. But she was very cute about it and I was working real hard to keep her light and up beat. Gladly it happened at night and she couldn't see what she had just done. Once we pulled into our driveway and the lights came on in the car and she saw it - she started freaking out a bit. But for the most part - she was fine. I said the word vomit - and there stands my little Madeline - vomit literally covering her and she asks me " What's vomit mom?" Guess I never used that word around her. We laughed a lot. We all did actually. Then Madeline and I took a shower together. Something we haven't done in an awfully long time. And it was like nothing was different. Awesome. My kids are the most awesome gifts. I just really want Madeline to get better. She doesn't have a fever - just so congested. She coughs and sneezes and blows her nose 24/7. We kept her home Thurs and Fri of last week when she did have a slight fever - now it's gone but the congestion seems to be worse. I'll be calling to get her into the dr tomorrow. I just want someone to look at her - it would make me feel better. Poor thing. Today Ginger had the cough too - so joy - they are passing it to one another.

I feel a bit out of sorts today - missing church this morning. I don't like it when I miss church, just feel out of sync. Did have my dad and Nancy over today for the Super Bowl - which I just realized this evening is the 3rd year in a row we've had them over for the game. Once again, and I feel like a broken record when I say this but I can honestly say it goes through my brain constantly - how blessed I am. I am continually more and more aware of how blessed I am to have the people I have in my life. Another one of those 'being present' moments. Sometimes though, as I was talking to PJ about this weekend - this whole 'live in the moment' kind of phrase seems to me something you say to people who are dying. But, as PJ reminded me, there are people who really do live this way all the time, and they have not been diagnosed with a terminal disease. I want to be one of those people. I'm striving towards that. To that end, I have been having many, many wonderful moments with my kids. To have my strength back and be able to lift and hold Ginger - I can't begin to describe what a gift that is. I missed it so much - and knowing that I will need to once again put it on hold at my next surgery, I am soaking it all up right now. I hold her so close to me, feel her little hands pat my back as she holds onto me - and - all she wants lately is for me to hold her. It is so awesome. Last night, Madeline was having a rough night so I was up with her a couple times, then Ginger woke up so I had her in my arms and I had to wake PJ up to tend to Madeline cuz they were both needing one on one time - so Ginger ended up sleeping with me in our bed, and PJ w/ Madeline in the spare bedroom. I can't remember the last time I'd slept with Ginger. It took me right back to when I was nursing her as a newborn and would pluck her out of her bassinet, nurse her, then tuck her into the crook of my arm and we would fall asleep together. It was the most intimate and bonding experience. The feeling I have had with her lately is very much like this. I have come to realize what a 'physical' person I am - and how I bond with my children, and my husband, in not only an emotional way, but a physical way as well. This weekend, my soul seemed especially 'love filled' for some reason or another. Lucky me.

I'm once again a little sleepy - so I'm going to sign off. Pray for my little Madeline's healing if you wouldn't mind - I just heard her coughing through the monitor - so I'm going to go check on her.

God Bless -