The Long Weekend - Journal Entries

Day 1 (Thursday) - I have a very sore throat; the glands in my neck are very swollen; the muscles in my neck are sore; I have a small lingering headache; I am all together tired and just try to motor ahead. I picked up Alexander from "day school" (as we all call it). He fell while running on the playground. He skinned his right thumb pretty badly. His caretaker, Maggie, said it was like the end of the world when it happened. Fortunately, it was not actually the end of the world. I looked at is closely, but all I could see was a bloody little thumb covered by a tiny band aid (weekend drama to ensue). We all enjoy a dinner out at the Cracker Barrel with Andrew's mom (all enjoyed, but Alexander, because he cannot sit still long enough to eat anything) . It's her last night in town. She came just to help us finish moving. It was a big job, but someone had to do it. And that person wasn't me. Andrew's mom is great at organization and motivation. I did not think that being 16-18 weeks pregnant would be such a hindrance on moving. But, I found myself to be just about useless. And then came this cold.

Day 2 (Friday, Independence Day) - We all got up early to take Andrew's mom to the airport. We were on the road by 7:15 a.m. (Andrew was up until 3:30 a.m. talking to best friend, Zane, on the phone; one last long chat before he enters the seminary). Before, leaving town we all had to get a cup of delicious Starbucks. Then it was a mad dash for the airport in Dallas. My throat is feeling a little better, but my sinuses are beginning to plug, which is a normal progression for any cold or sore throat that I have. In the past two years, since we moved to Waco, I have had a lot of trouble with my sinuses. It's time to nip this in the... We get to the airport just in time. We say our tearful goodbyes, Andrew tells his mom he is not going to cry, because he will see her in a week when he goes home for a wedding, then he sulked all weekend long. We stop for a McDonald's breakfast on the way out of Dallas and play on the coolest MickeyD's playground ever. We have to drag Alex away kicking and screaming. He then takes a long nap on the way home, which is a good thing and a bad thing. He is quiet and happy for the trip home, but it means no afternoon quiet time for us. When we get home Andrew cannot go on any longer. He takes a 2 hour nap. Alex babies his sore thumb/hand all day. It must hurt. Then we pack up our polish sausages and other food for an Independence Day cookout. It us being held in a nice shaded, courtyard. A like a good time is had by all, especially Alexander, who got really dirty climbing and playing all over the courtyard. He probably had the best time of anyone there. But, because he took such an early nap, he is super grumpy and tired by 8:30 p.m. I guess we won't be sticking around for the fireworks. It's okay though, because my sinuses are throbbing and I was feeling pretty tired from the heat and chasing around a toddler and from being 18 weeks pregnant. When we arrive home Alexander is wiped cleanish, no time for a bath, tucked into bed and Andrew and I sit down to watch patriotic television on PBS. It's good stuff--how they make fireworks, patriotic music and more. I was a little bit in and out of sleep.

Day 3 (Saturday) - My sinuses are burning, throbbing and all plugged up. I take the best over-the-counter sinus medicine on the market. No change. Such is my life. I am determined that things will get done today. I wake up Alexander. His sore thumb looks terrible. It's swollen, red, purple and yellow. It probably became worse after all the climbing and dirt from last night. I briefly considering finding out about the Saturday clinic at the hospital and then think this can probably wait. He babies his hand again all day, but this time I take special care to clean it, ointment and bandage it properly. He's tried to be a good sport about it, but he can't help a little screaming and crying. He hasn't been eating well lately. It's making Andrew and I a little mad and makes us feel like bad parents when he doesn't get enough to eat. He can't manage to sit still long enough to eat a proper meal. But, back to getting things done--I wake up Andrew and force him to get himself together for a day of studying. He's an adult. I can't tell him what to do, but he has got to be a serious student every day this summer. It has not gone too well, but he's smart and can still make it up. I get him in the car, finally, by 10:45 a.m. and drop him off at Starbucks (the grad student's office). I begin my errands. I go to Walmart looking for blackout shades for the sunny upstairs windows. They don't have exactly what I want. I do a little shopping, because there is always something one needs at Walmart. Then I drive halfway across town to JoAnn fabrics to get some blackout material. they give me a 40% discount on it for signing up for their mailing list. It turns out to be a fabulous deal and well worth the drive. I get home just in time for the "I'm hungry and sleepy and my thumb hurts" meltdown by Alexander. He was so tired and he seemed to be troubled by his thumb and therefore could not manage to keep himself together long enough to eat. But, considering how poorly he ate in the morning, I was determined to get him to eat something decent. He finally eats a cereal bar. It is not something I really wanted him to eat, but atleast he has something in his belly. I put him down for a nap and then go to work. I put up the curtains in the living room. Then I thought to get started on the blackout curtains. I cut them all to length, and pin the hem. After I figure out my bobbin winder, I finally hem one blackout curtain. I was pretty happy about it and thought that I could get all three curtains done before I had to wake up Alexander and go get Andrew. Three quarters of the way through the second curtain my needle broke for no reason. Nothing had changed between this curtain and the last. I think there is something stuck under the guide plate, but I didn't have time to check it now. I had to wake up Alexander and go get Andrew. Alexander was still sleepy, but a good sport about getting ready to go. I got to Andrew about 3:00 p.m. We ran some errands and bought some groceries for dinner. We now had just a couple hours to play with Alexander, tidy our messes, make and eat dinner and get Alexander back in bed, so we could have guests over for cards. It wasn't hard getting Alexander in bed. He was really tired for some reason--probably because of his sore thumb and not eating well and all the crazy fits he threw. Our guests arrive and we havea fun evening of playing cards (pinochle and spades). Andrew and I lose every hand, which is unusual for us. I am not going to point any fingers, but I will say, I don't think it was me ;-). By bedtime I was more stuffed up than ever and in lots of pain. But, I guess it was manageable. I take a bath to ease some aches and drift off to sleep.

Day 4 (Saturday) - We all sleep in. That's weird. It's almost 9:00 a.m. and I have not heard a peep from Alexander. He's fine. He's just simply sleeping in. Alexander's thumb looks no worse than the day before, but not exactly better. I continue to doctor it. He has taken to keeping his hand in a little loose fist and won't use that hand at all. He was a one handed wonder all weekend. My sinuses really hurt. It doesn't seem that any medicine is touching it. I am very concerned about not taking too much medicine because of being pregnant. I hope all the sinus medicine and acetaminophen I have taken hasn't been harmful to the baby. We barely make it out the door in time for church. At the church the "Cry Room" is already full at the beginning, because people keep bringing their whole families in there. It's not designed for that. It was designed for noisy little toddlers and one parent. We have a lot of toddlers. One family keeps coming in with both parents and all five of their children, all of which are old enough to sit quietly in church. I was more miffed than ever, because I do not feel well enough to be patient or charitable. Fortunately, Alexander has been quiet enough lately to sit in the church, so we sit in a back pew. But, half way through the homily he bangs his sore thumb on something, it starts to bleed and he starts to cry loudly. I have to carry him off to the "Cry Room." I consider going outside, but I know I will never get Alexander back in the church if I do that. I go in and sit on the floor, because there are no seats, and right next two boys from the family that annoys me so much. One naughty little boy keeps hitting his brother and saying things in Spanish. The parents do nothing. Did I mention they also had the grandfather in there as well? Three adults for one family in a room designed for eight or nine adults to sit and none of them do anything about disciplining the children. Like I said, I have no patience. I look the boy square in the eye, give him a crusty look, and say very sternly, "Stop it." I wasn't sure the child would understand me, because he had been speaking Spanish, but I am sure my body language spoke enough. He stops. I can tell either his parents let him do whatever he wants or he is the boss of them. After a little bit the boy walks away and quietly sits next to his parents on the floor. Good, I scared him and he is out of my hair. Alexander later walks up to the other little boy (who was probably nine yrs old) and slaps him on the back kind of like what the boy's brother had done. I discipline Alexander. That is exactly why other parents cannot let their children get out of hand, because toddlers do not know any better and will act that way too. As I approached the Holy Eucharist, I say as usual "Let this be not for my judgement or condemnation, but for healing of soul and body." As the Eucharist is placed in my mouth the words "for healing of soul and BODY" resound in my mind over and over. I get to the back of the church say a final prayer and exit the church. I cannot go back into the overcrowded, stuffy cry room and Alexander is still acting wiggly and noisy. We play outside a little until Andrew comes out. We go get pizza. Alexander will always eat pizza. I take more medicine. Andrew wants me to go to the doctor. I go to the cupboard and also take a leftover antibiotic prescription. I have enough for three days. It is probably a poor choice to not go to the doctor, but I hate my doctor and I hate missing work. After lunch, I send Andrew and Alexander on a nonsensical errand and steal the time for a little nap of my own. When they get back I have no choice but to do things with Andrew and Alexander and then finally put him down for a nap. Andrew and I grab a bowl of ice cream and collapse in the living room. We sit and watch a "Deadliest Catch" Marathon. My head pounds through it all. I don't want to wake up Alexander, but I want him to go to bed at a decent time too. I convince Andrew to come grocery shopping with me to get the week’s worth. While Andrew is in the checkout line I make a mad dash to the pharmacy. Breathe Right Nasal Strips catch my eye and I grab a box. Alexander and I play while Andrew puts together the grill I sent him to buy on the nonsense shopping trip. I make a little salad for dinner. Time flies by quickly. It’s time to put Alexander to bed. I haven’t gotten anything done all day. That’s okay. Just before bed I put on the nasal strip. It’s a God send. I can breathe. I still have lots of pain in my nasal cavity, but I can breath and that makes things more comfortable. I read a little then quickly drift off to sleep.

Day 5 (Monday/Today) - By morning I can still breathe. But, I still have pain. I take all my medicine all over again. Alexander thinks I look pretty funny with the nasal strip on. I took it off. He was grumpy this morning, but his thumb is starting to not look so infected. He also ate breakfast. I have some coffee and the pain medicine kicks in. I can still breathe and the pain is gone. I hope it will start going away. That’s the long weekend.