Too Soon??

My hubby has been home with a sick little girl for the whole week.  He decided, even though I was unsure, that she should go back today.  He has been with her. I spent most of last night locked in my bedroom for the chat on Fire Engineering Talk Radio last night.  He fed her, he got her to bed, he did her breathing treatments - he would know.

But when I dropped her off, I don't know.  And now my juniors just brought over her tutu that she was wearing for career day.  She didn't want it anymore.  I will probably be getting her soon.  Just a gut feeling.  Which means that everyone will be coming home, too.  They will be happy and I will feel better.  I wish she was in our building so I could check on her.  Ah well.  The saga of being a momma working away from home. 

The Lord Works in Mysterious Ways

That was what my mom told me this AM.

I have been up with our sick youngest since 1:57 AM.  She came in complaining that her head hurt and had a RAGING fever.  I am telling you, I cannot fight this fever off to save my soul. It keeps on a coming and kicking her little butt.  Three breathing treatments a day, kiddie Afrin and trying to get her to eat and drink...still not working. 

So, I took her out to the living room where we watched TV for a bit and she finally dozed off shortly before 4am.  That allowed me to doze...until I had a really weird dream that one of my English teachers from HS (whom I also worked with) kept bumping into us while belly dancing when we were laying on the couch.  I jumped up to turn on the light and tell her to be careful, I realized that she was not really there.  VERY weird.  I will have to tell her about it later today.  Anyway, then my lovely FF set my son's iPod to QUACK just before I normally get him up, but unfortunately he had a tirade earlier in the week that got it taken away from him and it woke me up instead - in a state of FRIGHT!!

My FF was amazing in getting the oldest three stooges up and ready, making sure dogs were fed and lunches made. I calmed my sad little girl who can't go on the school trip to Jump America today.  And we made our way to school, in the rain and dreariness that has started our day.  I really don't remember much of the ride down - which in and of itself, is really quite scary!! But, nonetheless, we got here safe.

And, for those of you who do not believe in Divine Intervention, have I got a story for you!

So, zombie morning = need for caffeine.  I am a Coke drinker - it is my happy juice of choice.  Straight up, non diet, high fructose corn syrup Coke.  BUT, New Year, New You...I am trying to cut back on the pop as much as possible.  Which SUCKS on days like this.  So, instead of my usual Coke jump-started mornings, I have been drinking Mio flavored water - lots of it.  However, this morning one of my students brought Starbucks in for me.  I don't drink coffee.  She knows that, so she brought me a Grande Java Double Chocolate Chip Frappacino.  I almost passed on it, after all, I don't drink coffee. (Think of the joke with the guys during the flood, who passes on the row boat, the cruise ship and the helicopter because the Lord would save him...)  Once I got the first few drinks, the coffee after taste was not so noticeable.  And for Catholic Schools Week, student council gave us a bag of Spearmint Life-Savers with "Keeping the Faith Fresh" taped to them - to fight off coffee breath after my coffee flavored caffeine exposure.
   

It made for a day that could have miserable, actually surprisingly pleasant.  So, when your prayer for the day starts with, "Lord, just help me get through today."  It will be answered, in the most surprising of fashions.  Like a Grande Java Double Chocolate Chip Frap and some spearmint Life-Savers.  Never saw that coming!  The Lord does work in mysterious ways, sometimes even through Starbucks!

Kiss those FFs and remind that you love them, even when they are sleeping soundly through sick kids coming downstairs and you are the one that has to get up a O'Dark Hundred to actually GO to work in the morning.  Hug your muppets, especially if they look like they have been run over by a bus.  

Yesterday, trying to get to the mid 60s, causing everything to melt, thunderstorms, mud.  Today, freezing temps and lots of pretty snow.  Tomorrow, zero and below zero wind chills.  Gotta love the weather in Wisconsin!  Happy Wednesday!

Some of the Perks of this Crazy Life.

Having a sick muppet and no one has to worry about whether or not they get a sub or about putting together sub plans.  Firefighters don't have to worry about getting a replacement, if it is Monday - when it is not their shift day. And, if she doesn't perk up, there's a good chance he can get a city-owed trade for tomorrow and play Daddy all day again.

For all of the insanity, there are definitely some perks.  And today is one of those days.

Feel better baby girl.  Daddy take care of that little muppet - and use the hand sanitizer so you are not the next victim.

Everyone else, show your muppets and FFs some love and enjoy this lovely, dreary Monday.

UPDATE - FF called on his way home the MD's office - before his phone died.  O has bronchiolitis. It landed Zuzu in the hospital for a week (at a much younger age, after being blown off by Children's ER and 2 walk-in clinic docs - not that I am bitter about it, still, or anything).  So, I am glad we got it taken care of right away.  Neubulizers and more details when I get home.

I am just going to have to say no

Saying no is something that I have SUCKED at lately.


I am finding myself buried under bailing everyone else out and it is wearing on me.  Today I am going to say no.  This weekend, I organized babysitters and RE-organzied them when they all bailed on me for a marriage retreat here at school.  I am all about helping with supporting marriages and keeping them healthy, so I was happy to do it.  Then the person who was in charge, somehow forgot they were going out of town during this event and now I found myself in charge of not only getting the babysitters, but also supervising them.  THEN I found out I was acting as hostess.  Got a welcome speech written (and it was dang good if I do say so myself).  Take B and our 5th grade neighbor to be my go-fers.  Finally get the list of kids and find that there are FIVE babies coming.  We are a high school, there are no cribs, exersaucers, etc for me to put babies in when I need my hands.  Call the parents to help out. And away we go on a Saturday night.  

When playing with my phone was
no longer working and the shrieks returned.

Get there and the first set of kids (also the last to leave) have HORRIBLE separation anxiety.  A 7 month old who won't let me put her down and either screamed or wimpered the ENTIRE three hours and her 2 year-old sister, also crying, "I want mommy, sniffle, I want daddy."  THE WHOLE TIME!!  Mine, never went through this.  5 minutes after I left, they were off playing with their friends.  Mom said (about the baby), "Yeah, I don't really put her down much."  Oh, really, I couldn't tell.  Not going to get on my soapbox about my parenting style, but I am so happy my kids had the self-confidence to be without me.  The other babies slept beautifully, thank God!  I don't know what I would have done, considering there were 40-some other kids and 5 teen-agers to  help supervise.  So, get packed up, get my two minions in the car and it is now 9:30pm, with a 4 minute drive ahead of us.

Sunday, I packed up and went 4 hours northwest for a conference.  Unknowingly leaving Daddy with 2 puking kids ( I dealt with the one who started this the night before. (Now he gets the curse of the Blue Shift - since it was indeed a Blue Shift and I was away!)  While on this trip, I find out a TON of stuff is not getting done that is supposed to be getting done and I take on some of those responsibilities for the following weekend (which also includes two birthday parties, a football practice and the Championship game) just to be sure it is done.  Come home the next night, one more puking Muppet and Daddy takes a City Owed trade so I do not have to miss school.  Get to school (with ONE non puking Muppet) and find out there is an issue with lunch coverage, they were going to ask a sub to take it.  He can barely handle a classroom, how will he  handle a lunch hour.  It is my lunch, I volunteer to take it.

Today, the same people who needed lunch coverage emailed me this AM, "we also have ________________to do today, can you cover lunch again" or something to that effect.  I am kind of tired.  My FF is the next to take on the virus that is going through the house, no surprise given all the clean-up he has done.  AND there is a football game at 8pm tonight, again 45 minutes away.  

I am going to have to say no.  Something's gotta give.

Hug your kids tight and kiss your FFs good-bye as the leave for shift.  Make sure they all know that you love them.

Plague?

I think it has hit.  I am waiting for the CDC to quarantine us, drape the house...not a pretty sight here.


We had near 70s on Sunday ...yes...in March...in Wisconsin.  And I say, shivering, in a tanktop (silly girl you say, put on somethin' warmer), a turtleneck (still not done, yet), a hoody (keep going...) and a spare comforter.  Yup, SHIVERING.  We sat on the front porch, trying to study med cards, and I was shivering.  This from the gal that goes bare legged and as close to bare foot as possible once it hits 40s and sun.  I can't count on one hand how many days I have worn more that a light lambskin jacket in  the last 3 months, most days just my sweater will do.   Hubby got kind a cranky when I did not want to eat the dinner he made or help with the kids at bedtime. The 103.7 fever was rather uncomfortable, but was down by the time I wanted to go to work on Monday, so I did.


BIG MISTAKE.


Coughing, ribbiting like a frog as I spoke, the dang chills came back.  Wanna know the best part??  IT WAS A BLUE SHIFT!  Shocked?  Me neither.


Next AM, no way I was taking the kids to school.  I literally fell into the wall, going to the bathroom.  Don't you hate it when it jumps right out in front of you like that!!??    I was not going to drive 4 kids to school and my kids at school already expected me to stay home.  (Turns out they followed my lead...about 20% of my kids were missing, nearly 1/3 of one particular class.)  Hubby took them into school after he got home...but kept calling my phone, hard to sleep that way.  Whatever.


Next AM, still not good, but now...Yup, you guessed it...my FF and my little one...both burning up.  Sigh...just once...can't I be the ONLY sick one, that everyone else takes care of.  Just ONCE??? <sigh> Ah well, we are quite a team.

Next AM, finally back to work with the 3 oldest muppets, AFFA (Against Firefighter's Advice ).  I took O to bed with us that night (on my side of course), hoping to spare D from the virus, seeing as the girls choose to sleep in the SAME bed.  So, I got up with her at 2:36 in the FREAKIN' AM.  Her fever was so high, she just couldn't get comfortable. It was an early release day, by this point my high schoolers were sending me emails asking me to come back...no real choice.  I get in, still no voice, they are amazed that it is physically possible for me to speak quietly.  Kids are great, but fever returns, ears they are a-ringing and some cottonmouth just for fun.  Get a text before lunch, my kindergartener is the next victim, Daddy had to go get her. 
 

Fast forward to today, after getting up just after bartime yesterday, I have yet to sleep.  Yup, 1:56 in the PM and no sleep since yesterday, two-thirty-ish.  I ended up with both firegirls (in the most literal, as well as symbolic ways possible) in bed with me, while my hubby slept elsewhere.  (XY predisposition???) Yeah, still not near 70% much less 100%, having to work in the AM and I get custody of the girls...not that I am complaining.  (Truth and accuracy dept. requires I disclose the stomping and slamming of various objects at 0500, however).  Get my two remaining soldiers off to battle and teach a half day.  (Don't judge... it was a loooooooonnnnggggg half day). My Period A class and I sanitized my class when the lightbulb came on about how many of my students had been out all week.  (Medicine head makes me slow, what can I say.)  I am home now and I find myself trying to hide upstairs, only to have these creatures covered in snot, with various degrees of pallor, continually needing things.  You know...food...water... acetaminophen.  Not sure where they came from...but they truly don't look familiar.  They keep calling me "momma". Creepy, I know. (For the record, all while my hubby, who has slept all night and all morning, sleeps in the recliner.  just sayin'.)

It is all good.  I drank two Red Bulls by 9am.  I got my wings.  I am hoping to be able to turn the reins over to my firefighter tonight when the kids go to bed.  He should be able to handle the sleeping part now that the worst of it has passed.  And me..to sleep...perchance to dream...


Wash your hands, sneeze into your elbow, take your fever reducers...oh wait, maybe you escaped the plague.