Our week in numbers

Okay, I have updated this a few times.... Kate's picture is on Judy Blume's blog (see below). I added a quirky meme below this post and I want to thank Debbie for making this incredible slidehow of our weekend. You can see it on her blog by clicking here. She is a gifted photographer and she did a beautiful job on the slideshow. Thanks Debbie.

Sorry folks, this post is not too exciting. It was a tough week in our house....

6=number of days I was unable to keep anything at all in my system due to illness.

2= liters of IV fluids I needed due to severe dehydration.

104= degrees of Kate's fever from having the flu.

4=days after being diagnosed with the flu, Kate is also diagnosed with a raging ear infection!

150= times (at least) I asked myself who is this "she devil" pretending to be my daughter. My sweet, loving and gentle daughter disappeared this week and was replaced by a crazed, crying and angry child. I am sure it was the flu, fever and pain but it still made me CRAZY.

2.5=number of Popsicles (all fruit/no sugar) I forced Kate to eat per day to stay somewhat hydrated.

4= days Kate stayed in her pajamas all day.

1=field trip to Mt. Vernon for Will.

1=diorama due for Harry (what does anyone learn from making a diorama anyway? Please enlighten me.)

3=surge protectors blown during a wind storm.

12=pieces of expensive electronic equipment saved by said surge protectors.

9=beautiful quilt squares and wishes that arrived and brightened each day! Please go see them here.

1=lovely e-mail from THE acclaimed children's author Judy Blume! Harry and I e-mailed her one morning and told her about the picture in the post below. She came to the blog and saw it and e-mailed us back. Harry and I are reading the Fudge series now. We were very excited to hear back from her. She loved the picture that Debbie took. Apparently, Judy Blume liked the picutre of Kate so much, she put it on her blog. Go check it out! Thank you for telling me, Denise!

10=days that I lasted thinking I was going to let my hair grow before I caved in and cut it again! I have NO endurance for such things.

3=boys in our house who went to the Monster Truck Jam! Little boys love that stuff. I am SO glad I got to stay home with Kate:)

Harry and Dave took these with Harry's point and shoot!


In light of our less than stellar week, I also want to post my Thankful Thursday list.

I am thankful:

~for my friend Julie Anne for calling at the exact moment I needed a ride to the hospital. Julie Anne and I do not talk on the phone often but she said something told her to call me at that moment. This was nothing short of a miracle because my doctor had just told me to go to the ER and I was sitting on my kitchen floor crying (with no tears) and too confused to call anyone. Moments later, she was at my door and we were on our way. It was the first time in my life, I went straight to the front of the line. They took one look at me and took me back right away. I have never been so happy to get a needle!

~for my sweet hubby for taking care of all of us and the house and the homework and the meals and everything else.

~for my sweet boys for their prayers and kindness.

~for Will. One night we were snuggled up in my bed watching Wheel of Fortune and he told me I "looked like Vanna White except much younger and without wrinkles." That Will! I know he was just trying to make me feel better because in truth I looked liked death but still---he is sweet! BTW-- I look nothing like Vanna White!

~for the lovely basket of goodies Amber brought--chicken noodle soup, yummy bread, flowers, chocolate and the double "Oscar" issue of People! Now that is a good friend!

~for the cards and food others brought. Jennifer---thank you for the banana bread and soup! Lauren, your meal was delicious and just what we needed on our road to recovery. Clare and Melissa, the fruit basket was perfect.

~for all of the e-mails, calls, favors (thank you Shannon for looking for the muffins) and prayers for us this week.

~that a certain really cool Mom/photographer invited me to read her blog. It went private a few months ago and I have missed it so much. Thank you!

~ for TA for my neighbor, Rachel. She will be traveling to get Lily very soon. They live around the corner from us and we are so excited for their journey. We cannot wait to meet Lily!!

Please pray that Denise receives her TA very soon. She has been waiting way too long! Hang in there sweetie:)

I really did not take many photos this week. I have some "fuzz" in my camera and need to clean the insides (that scares me)... here are a few of the Easter decorations I have managed to put out.

I feel as though I don't really have time to focus on the little details around our house this year. I really miss that. Usually, I am all about the details. I just have my hands so full with the boys' activities and a toddler. I am working on appreciating where I am right now and not worrying about such stuff but it is hard.

Here is a picutre of Kate from a few weeks ago. She was in time out for purposely dropping a camera lens on our slate floor. I snapped it on to see if it was broken and shot this of her in time out! Luckily, the lens was fine. This is also my first meager attemt at using Photoshop. I got it a few weeks ago but I have NO idea how to use it and it is way too time consuming so I doubt I'll be using it much. I simply added a vignette around the edges and popped the color a little. Now, don't start thinking I am going to do this all the time because I am not...it is a lot of work!

I have another new post below. Read if you want to know the quirky side of me!