A Very Sick Household

Have you ever been so congested and clogged with mucus that you can't even taste the food you put in your mouth?

Yes, that's how it's been for me in the last few days and I hate it. 

We've all been fighting colds but my two year old seems to have gotten the worst of it.  My poor baby. 

For the first few nights she wasn't sleeping at all and then suddenly all she wanted to do was sleep.  This is also day number three of not eating anything, aside from a few grapes here and there.  I took her to the pediatrician's office today and not only does she have a chest cold but an ear infection as well.  We've gone through this before with her.  She has snapped out of it suddenly during those times and I know she will this time as well.  It's just been hard to see her this way.  She's miserable.  We've all been miserable but she's too little to understand why she feels the way she does. 

It's also hard to give an antibiotic to a little one who refuses to take it.  So my trick is to mix it into one of her favorite drinks.  I've had a vaporizer running all day.  I have also been mixing some honey and lemon juice into her drinks as well.  My only wish is that she would eat but the doctor doesn't seem too concerned with that at this point since she's still drinking fluids.  

With my own sickness and a sleep schedule that's been out of whack all week I feel like I could crash at any moment.  But a mother has to do what a mother has to do and I can hear Dory (the fish from Finding Nemo) saying "Just keep swimming.  Just keep swimming."

Sickness

It's been a pretty miserable week for us since the sick bug entered our home.  My son was the first to get it, as is usually the case.  He had a terrible cough all weekend and stayed home from school on Monday so he wouldn't have to spread the germs to his friends.  He seems to be doing a lot better today but in the last few days I've had a very sick little girl to care for.  She's so different from her brother when it comes to being sick.  He is easier to deal with and just wants to sleep.  She, on the other hand, doesn't want to sleep nor does she want to eat.  I've been sleep deprived in the last two nights.  I know it's hard on the poor girl not being able to breathe through her nose that is all stuffed up. 

We've been through this plenty of times before with both children and I know it will pass.  Still, it's very hard to see the little ones have to suffer.  I do enjoy the extra cuddle time though. 

Unfortunately with having to tend to two little sick ones I've caught the cold as well.  I've been trying to avoid passing it along to my husband but it seems as if something might be brewing in him as well.  This isn't good.  He has to have surgery in less than 3 weeks and if he's sick at any point from now until then he may not be able to get it done.  I know the idea of postponing surgery has him upset and I feel bad about it.  I've been spraying the couch and other things around the house with Lysol as often as possible.  I've been constantly washing and sanitizing my hands and having the kids do the same. 

It's no fun.  I can't wait until we are all healthy and well again ... and sleeping through the night. 

Happy Homemaker Monday - 3/3/2014

Even though I'm taking care of two sick little ones today I thought I would take a break and do Happy Homemaker Monday.  Joining in with Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom.  I can't believe it's March already.  The year is already passing us by.  Spring is a few weeks away ... FINALLY!

 

As I look outside my window:

Sunny with snow covering the ground.  We had about an inch of snow fall throughout the night.  Not as much as they expected and I'm okay with that.  It's a bitter 23 degrees.  

Right now I am: 

Sitting on a heating pad.  I've been exercising a lot but recently decided to kick it up a notch and boy did that make my legs and butt sore.  It will be worth it though.  My son, who is home sick today, is sitting next to me playing Mario on the Wii.  My daughter, who is also sick, is napping.  Hoping she gets the rest she needs.  She has a runny nose and fever.  

Thinking and pondering:

• About this blog and what more I'd like to write about.  I want to keep it updated as often as possible.
• My husband's surgery which is in exactly 3 weeks from today.  I worry about him, even though he seems so calm and okay with it.  We have a lot do to around the house before the surgery.  He won't be able to walk for a few weeks or maybe a month after.  
• About my kids and hoping they can get rid of this cold soon.  My throat has been feeling scratchy and I'm hoping I don't get hit with it full force.  
• What to make for dinner this week.

On my bedside table:
My Bible.

On my TV tonight:
Monday nights are Cake Boss.  Tomorrow night a new season of The Little Couple is on and I really want to watch that and on Wednesday's we watch Duck Dynasty.  Other nights we just seem to channel surf until we find something worth watching.

Listening to:
The music from the Mario game and my son getting frustrated with himself when he keeps losing.

On the menu:
Burgers and fries ... by the request of our son.

On my to do list:
Finish laundry
Sweep floors
Finish packing my daughter's old clothes and then pass them along to a friend who has a daughter.
Organize all areas of the house
Mentally prepare for hubby's surgery in 3 weeks/Also get things around the house ready.

Happening this week:
Early dismissal for my son on Wednesday
This weekend me and my daughter are hanging out with my mom while the guys who to an indoor monster truck show.  That's if everyone is well by then.

What I am sewing, knitting, crocheting or creating:
I made cupcakes yesterday.  And in honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday I made them with purple icing (like in The Cat In The Hat movie).  It's the little things that keep my kids happy. 

My simple pleasure:
Having a family that is NOT sick.

Lesson learned the past week:
I've been teaching myself how to adjust to change and accept it.  See previous post.  I've realized that even though it's hard to face changes the change can bring on amazing things.

Looking around the house:
Boxes and bags of my daughter's clothes sit in the dining room waiting for me to put them in the car.  Toys are in every corner of the living room (as usual).  My son is now playing Legos on the living room floor.

From the camera:

 

What do you do with a box the new dishwasher came in?  Turn it into a house

Prayer list:

My children getting over their sicknesses

My husband's upcoming hip replacement surgery

Bible verse/Devotional:

 "And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." -- Matthew 18:3

Learning to Deal With Change

"Change is the law of life.  And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future" -- John F Kennedy

Change is a big part of life; it's inevitable.  Change is something we all face throughout our lives whether it be big or small, good or bad, happy or sad, etc.  It can be used to help us grow and learn.  What would life be like if we all stayed the same?  Boring!  But why does change have to be so hard?

I remember the first time change hit me really hard was when I was thirteen years old.  I had lived with my parents and sister (my other sister and brother were married and out of the house by then) in the same house I had lived in since being brought home from the hospital after my birth.  I was in a house, a town, a state that had all been very familiar to me.  It was my first year in junior high and I was finally allowed to wear make-up and go to the mall or movies with my friends WITHOUT adult supervision.  These were awesome changes that had me feeling like I was finally growing up and becoming someone.  Life wasn't perfect but I was happy with it.

I had always pictured myself living in the same house until I was an adult and ready to make the choice on my own to move out.  I envisioned visiting my parents at that same house with my husband and kids.  The idea of moving never occurred to me.  Until my dad brought it up one day during dinner.  I remember the conversation well.  He and my mother decided to put the house up for sale and move to a cheaper place.  New York was too expensive and blah, blah, blah.  We had to go.  So the house went up for sale and was sold by the first family that came to look at it.  Everything happened so fast.  Now, when my dad said he wanted to move somewhere cheaper it didn't end up being in another house ... it ended up being in another state.  Pennsylvania.  By summer our house was sold and we packed our things and headed to the Keystone State.  Unfamiliar territory for me.  I started 8th grade in a new state, a new school and surrounded by new people.  Big change.  The kind of change I had a hard time adjusting to, even many years later.

 

I realize that if I had not moved to Pennsylvania I would have missed out on a lot of opportunities I've had here.  I wouldn't have met the people who became my friends and I certainly wouldn't have met my husband or had my two wonderful children.  I really can't see life without them now that they are here.  I know change can bring on a lot of wonderful and positive things, but letting go of once was is pretty hard.  

Another time when change hit me hard was after graduating from college.  I spent two years in business school and was surrounded by great friends (story here) and good times.  I didn't realize just how much that time meant to me until one day years later when I was sitting at my desk in an office job.  I looked around at the desk, the phone, the computer and all that surrounded me.  I thought about how the degree I earned in business school led me to getting that job and then I started thinking back to that time in school ... and I missed it.  I missed it so much that it hurt.  I wished to have had a chance to go back to that time and relive it.  You know, I always said how cool it would be if life came with a remote control that we could rewind back to good times and fast forward through the bad times.  Yeah, like that would work out well, right?  Wake up Dawn.  Change happens whether I like it or not.  

Change is what helps us live, grow and learn.  It's not going to stop.  Even though I do often think back to certain times in my life and wish I could relive some moments I do feel blessed to have all that exists now.  My husband, my two children, a house, thirty-five years of great health, new people who have come into my life and became good friends, old friends who are still here for me, other old friends who I realized weren't friends at all.  You get it. 

As hard as it was I had to learn to embrace all of the changes I ever had to face.  Although some were hard, it's all been good.  It's all led me to this very moment.  I can say I feel very blessed with how my life has turned out.  I've learned how to cope with change by looking at all the positives instead of the negatives.  I try to look at all the benefits that all the change I've gone through has to offer.  I've also learned to accept this as a part of life that is out of my control.  I've learned to let go of the many changes that took place in my life that has caused me to feel depressed over the years.  It wasn't a simple thing to do but I did it.  

However, I'm now faced with a new type of change and it's quite a challenge for me.  This is the change of watching my children grow and trying to accept the fact that neither of them are no longer babies and will just keep growing and growing.  I'm sure it's a hard thing for any parent to watch her/his children grow and know that the years of being little won't always exist.  It's a sad revelation but this too is also a good thing. 

It's bittersweet.  

If you're a new parent who is dealing with the pros and cons of having a newborn I want to let you know that the saying they grow up fast is definitely true.   So during those sleepless nights when that baby is refusing to sleep or is crying and begging to be comforted by you ... embrace it all.  It doesn't last.  I look at this picture of my three year old son holding his newborn baby sister and I'd give anything to have that very moment back.  But I can't.  They are growing and life is moving forward.  There is no stopping time or slowing it down.  All we can do is enjoy every moment as it is given to us, hold on to the memories and prepare for the future. 

Happy Homemaker Monday - 2/24/14

Hello everyone!  Thanks for stopping by.  I missed out on HHM last week because of being so busy and I almost did this week but I decided to give myself a break and do it anyway.  No matter how busy life gets I like having a blog to give me a break from reality for awhile.  Also, my dad had borrowed my laptop for the last few weeks and now I have it back.  It's a pain going downstairs to use the desktop computer.  So here I am again!  And here we go joining in with Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom.

As I look outside my window:
We were so lucky to have a break in the cold weather this weekend but now it's back and brought along a lot of wind.  The sun is shining bright and the snow is melting but it's very chilly and there is more snow to come this week.  Please go away snow!  I've had enough.

Right now I am:
Waiting for a load to finish in the dryer and another in the washer.  Relaxing for a little bit while my youngest child naps.

Thinking and pondering:
Mostly about my six year old son and the issues we've been having lately.  Just typical six year old stuff and I know we'll get through it.

On my bedside table:
Same as always.  My Bible.  Haven't had the time to read anything else lately.

On my tv tonight:
I don't know.  We like watching Cake Boss on Monday nights.

Listening to:
Nothing but the wind blowing outside.

On the menu:
I'm so excited because we finally bought a new stove and I love it.  It has made cooking so much more enjoyable.  I'm still figuring out what to make for the week but tonight I'm going to make a garlic chicken recipe I found and tomorrow will be stuffed peppers.  The rest of the week is TBD.

On my to do list:
-I've been going through all of my daughter's clothes that are now too small for her.  I'm organizing them by size and season so I can see what the consignment shop will take.  If I can't sell them I'll just pass them along to a friend who has a baby girl.
- Mail a package for my new great nephew in NY.
- Organize and prepare the house for my hubby's surgery next month.
-Work out.  I love working out!

Happening this week:
No plans have been made this week but we may see The Lego Movie this weekend for some family fun.  I hear it's a good movie.  There is no story time at the library this week but maybe I'll bring my daughter in anyway.  Hoping the snow they are calling for doesn't happen.

What I am sewing, knitting, crocheting or creating:
Nothing at the moment.

My simple pleasure:
Quiet time with God.

Lesson learned the past week:
I think this lesson goes to my son who recently learned that you don't have to do what others tell you to do, especially if it's wrong.

Looking around the house:
Toys all over.  Enough said.

From the camera:

 

Prayer list:

My hubby as he prepares for surgery next month.  I'm always praying that he receives relief from the pain he has suffered for so long.  

My son's recent issues at school.  

Both my children as they grow up.

Bible verse/Devotional:

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romands 12:2

A Snowy Valentine's Day

Thursday we had over an inch of snow, then more fell on Friday and then today we had more.  It's not even over according to the forecast.  What a winter!  My son and husband had both Thursday and Friday off from school and work.  As much as I am sick of this white stuff it was nice having everyone together yesterday on Valentine's Day and of course the kids begged to play outside.

My kids have never seen this much snow before so it was exciting for them.

Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays.  It gives us a day to do something extra special for the ones we love.  I started the day by making heart-shaped pancakes and also found ways of making other things throughout the day heart-shaped.  Like my attempt at this cake.

We exchanged chocolates and gifts and just had an overall awesome day.  But let me tell you ... I'm ready for this winter to be over.  It's time for some sunshine and warmth. 

One Hundred Percent

When I was preparing to marry the man of my dreams I had envisioned the type of wife I was going to be.  I imaged myself as one of those wives from the old television sitcoms where she stands in the kitchen with her hair perfectly done wearing an apron on top of her dress.  Oh yeah, and high heels too.  Then she enters into the living room holding a tray of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and with a big smile welcomes her husband home from a long day of work.  You know, like June Cleaver. 

Okay I may have embellished a little.  I am no June Cleaver and I do not even own an apron and it's rare you'll see me in a dress and since my husband is only three inches taller than me I don't bother to wear high heels.  Also, I haven't spent much time in the kitchen, especially in the beginning of our marriage. 

Realistically speaking I knew marriage was going to take a lot of work and I had to do my best to make sure I was committing every moment of my life to my husband and his needs.  A lot of people say that marriage is 50/50 but I have always believed differently.  Before I said "I do" I read several faith-based marital books to help give me some advice on how I could be an amazing spouse.  In one book the author talked about how we shouldn't think of marriage as being 50/50 but instead we give 100% of ourselves to our spouse.  It's definitely not an easy thing to do.  I can't tell you the number of times in the last eleven years that I've thought to myself, "why doesn't he do this for me? Why can't he see things the way I do?  I wish he would do this and that ..." Have I been giving 100% of myself to my husband.  Nah.  I've often been pretty selfish. 

My husband, on the other hand, seems to have this 100% thing down pat.  I have never heard him give the "why me?" question or beg for things to be done his way.  Since the beginning of our friendship he's always gone out of his way to make me happy forgetting that he has his own happiness to think about.  I tell you, he is the most selfless man I know.  He always says he works hard for his family.  Never have I heard him say he works for himself.  There are evenings when we rest on the couch and he rubs my feet and in the meantime he's dealing with pain from his arthritis.  He never thinks of himself.  Ever.  He's been an amazing husband who has definitely given that 100% to me.  Shamefully and admittedly I haven't done the same. 

I never realized how bad I was until a conversation we had last weekend.  I don't want to get into details of what this argument was about but after his response of, "you never compromise or consider my feelings," I really woke up.  In this particular situation I had only thought of myself and some others who were involved ... but not my husband.  It really made me feel bad and of course I apologized and promised to do better.  That man deserves so much more than I've given him or that I could even give him. 

Marriage isn't easy.  Not at all.  Not after having spent twenty-three years only having to take care of myself and then suddenly I was married and had someone else to think of.  I suppose others have an easier transition to this but I struggled.  I had to keep reminding myself that life wasn't about me anymore.  I have a husband ... and now I have two children too.  It's really not about me anymore.  And you know what?  I LOVE it that way!

"Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.  Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her  to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,  and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.  In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.  After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church--  for we are members of his body.  "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."  This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church.  However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." -- Ephesians 5:22-23

“Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”-- Philippians 2:4

 "The test of your love toward your spouse isn’t what you say about your love. It’s how you demonstrate that love. Treat your mate as Jesus would. If you make that one decision, it changes everything. The definition of mature love is to treat other people as Jesus would. Jesus is our best example when it comes to love. “This is how we know what love is: Christ gave his life for us” (1 John 3:16" -- Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life