Day 3

I thought we were in the clear. Lea had a 102 fever Monday night (day1) and a yucky cough. The cough (because of her past asthma problem) worried me more than the fever so we headed to Dr. Kanagal at Scottsdale Children's Group Tuesday afternoon. Tested for strep - nada, ears - nothing, tonsils - nope, lungs - clear...........waiting to hear back on the culture for strep to the out-of-office lab. Come back Thursday if she continues to go down hill. K, great - it's only my second visit to her in the past 5 days. Took Abbey in last Friday and she had a double ear infection, runny nose, wheezing and just all around miserable. She's doing better and full of life now.

Lea missed Tuesday (day 2) and today Wednesday (day 3) of school and seemed ready to go back. Our only exercise was walking to the park and she wasn't allowed to play, just hang out by me. Ate dinner, bathed, bed. Now it's 11:26 pm and she has just thrown up and the fever is back to 102.6. She's asleep on my bedroom floor in the designated puke spot. Looks like we're headed back tomorrow - good thing we love our doctor. We see her A LOT.

Lea's teacher is very understanding and I met with her the other day - she loves Lea and gave me her homework for her to work on. And not to worry about getting it right back - she needs to feel better first. Mrs. Noyes is great - knows what she's talking about, positive, loves teaching and loves the children.

Pray for Lea to recover and pray for the rest of us that we don't get whatever she has.

Things to be Grateful for:

wonderful doctors

modern medicine

battery operated and QUICK thermometers

puke buckets

  good health insurance

prayer

a warm place to sleep, running water and electricity

and a mom who taught me by example or I wouldn't know what to do.

My list could keep going, but this will do for now.

What? Huh? I don't know.

Ever had one of these days......ugh!? :)

anonymous

From 4:30 pm until 7:30 pm, those 3 hours were a rollercoaster of emotions. From wanting to leave one of my children locked away in his/her respective bedroom, to figuring out we could afford to go to Norway to visit my parents in May!!?! :) More on that later. There was one, more subtle act of kindness and a tender mercy on my behalf. I received an "anonymous" thank you note from another sister in my ward. I was touched for several reasons: 1 - I always think of doing that and never do for anyone else. 2 - someone thought it was important enough to tell me 3 - although I don't always (okay NEVER) enjoy being the center of attention and having my name mentioned publicly, I appreciated her noticing whatever it is I did and her taking the time to write and mail me a thank you card. It was very sweet and I will hold on to that probably forever. So a humbled thank you to whomever sent it - greatly appreciated and much needed. :)

ps: Jeff was impressed and grateful too. it was sweet. :) THANK YOU!

Addiction

I need it, I crave it, I have to have it, can't live without it. Cranky beyond belief and I feel completely helpless and lost without it.......I think it's safe to say I have an addiction.

Hi, my name is Alison and my computer is my addiction.

We had this crazy, huge storm blow through the last couple days. We have a rod-iron fence in our backyard and literally NOTHING for MILES. So to say a storm came, would be an understatement. A storm landed on us, did a little dance, left ALOT of rain, felt like I was in the Wizard of Oz twister - waiting for the wicked witch to ride her bike past.... and then left today.

In the process, our power went out at least 6 times - great if it's daylight, horrible when it's night and my kids are freaking out because there is no power. Which means we can hear EVERYTHING outside - no white noise inside to drowned out the great outdoors.

So today 1/22/2010, I survived an entire day (only because it happened last night around 10:20pm on 1/21/2010) without the internet - the power surges wiped out the info for our wireless router. I think I have a headache from actual thinking.

I depend on the computer to do the following things:

search for phone numbers

send email

read email

facebook

check my bank accounts
pay bills

find an address

get directions to the said address

search for good deals at any store
recipes
and I JUST NEED IT!

I honestly considered bringing out the phone book to look up a number. NO! I couldn't do it because it would take too long. The longest part would be actually figuring out how to use it again. Instead I sent Jeff a text for the phone number to our car dealership and waited probably 4-5 hours for a response because he was at work. MUCH EASIER! :)

I'm a computer addict and proud of it! Thank goodness my husband took pity on me and fixed it - I can sleep safe and sound tonight.

preschool

Lucas had his first day of preschool - he was so excited!!! He'll only be going once a week until the end of the regular school year, but still so thrilled to be 'grown-up' like his sister. He asked me about 8 times in 20 minutes this morning if he was going to preschool. Yes, Lucas. Then he would run to tell Lea: Lea, I'm going to preschool. :)

We got to the Meadows home and as he was getting out of the car said "I'm gonna be a good boy." GREAT! :)

He had a wonderful time and was even more thrilled to have "homework" to show for it and a folder with stars and his name on it. Awww, the excitement of learning....isn't it contagiuos!?

Songs of the heart

Angels Among Us  by Alabama

Holes in the floor of Heaven by Steve Wariner

Find out who your friends are by Tracy Lawrence

Last week, I was feeling pretty homesick. My parents are serving a mission for our church and are no longer a phone call away. Most of my family lives in Washington State and I was really missing all the time they get to spend together. I do have a brother and his family in Wickenburg, but even that seemed too far away and a brother in Florida - I can only imagine his homesickness. I listened to all these songs and realized I have a pretty great family here in Laveen. Friends that are as close as family who I depend on and trust on a daily basis.

Our hearts and prayers are with the Palfreemans as they deal with the loss of Candace's mom. We love you and know we are here for you. I couldn't be more grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ at a time like this. Without it, I wouldn't have such wonderful friends with the same values and be able to find peace in a time of trial and stress. We love you Candace and Scott.

And to another friend who is undergoing surgery on her eye somewhere back east. A couple different families had her kids and I was amazed - although I shouldn't have been - by everyone's attitude. Noone complained to help out, we'd drop everything to help out and so did these families by adding more kids to their house for a few days. They took the kids to church and were happy to serve, although it probably didn't feel like service - it's just what you do. :) Much love Britt!