Mucus You are My Enemy

I attempted to go back to work yesterday. This turned out to be a bad idea. My voice was bad and I could not hear very well out of my right ear. I lasted three hours with everyone begging me to go to the doctor in case I had contracted bronchitis from Kaylie. I finally decided to go home, but I really wanted to hold off on going to the doctor. I went home and slept for a couple of hours. I woke up and it just kept feeling like it was getting worse. My ear was starting to hurt. I finally decided to bite the bullet and go to a Care Now since it was too late to get into my family doctor. I actually got in right away thanks to their web checkin. Chris took off to meet me at the doctor. I was diagnosed with a right ear infection, and an upper respiratory infection,no surprise their. The doctor prescribed me some flonase to make the stuffiness ease up in my sinuses, and some antibiotics for the infection. I also got a steroid shot for some immediete relief. That really helped and I actually woke up feeling refreshed. Here I am back at work. I'm not totally back on my game. I still have drainage, and I am still waiting for my ear to pop and relieve the pressure, but that will just take time and the antibiotics starting to kick in. One thing I am pretty excited about is regaining my sense of smell and taste. I have realized that life is so much more fun and beautiful when you can taste your food and smell the air. I've had a stuffy nose, but this is the most severe I can remember. All food tasted like sawdust in my mouth. I can't help it, I love the taste of good food. Having these things taken away from me made me realize what wonderful gifts from God they truly are. I'm hoping once the weekend gets here I will be feeling more like my old self. Kaylie is almost back to normal. She still wears out easily, but she wants to do more. Micah is still fighting a cold, but he is such a good natured boy he hasn't been too fussy about it. I just feel sorry for the poor guy when he gets to coughing late at night. Chris has been lucky so far, hopefully it will stay that way. He has been such a great husband taking care of me and dealing with all the medicine, doctor runs, etc. I love him so much.

So here's to nice weather and getting over this sick season!

Here Comes the Sun

I do enjoy the rain, but I really needed some sunshine in my life. After taking Kaylie to the doctor Friday I started getting that tingly feeling in my throat. By Saturday morning I was feeling full blown horrible. Sunday I ran a fever most of the day. I felt like I was in a fog. I stayed in from work today, and I still don't feel 100 percent. I am starting to wonder if the junk in my nose and throat really has an end. My mom was nice and took the kids today so i could actually sleep. I haven't been sick like this in awhile. I get colds here and there, but this just sucks the life out of me. I could wake up from 10 hours of sleep and then go right back to bed. I hate feeling that way because I detest sleeping the day away. I am trying to keep myself from overdoing it today. With the kids gone and the sun shining I am tempted to clean house, but then I would just collapse again if I even made it that far. Chris was a wonderful husband and took care of me all weekend as well as making sure Kaylie didn't overdo it since she was starting to feel better. I debated on and off all day yesterday whether to stay home from work. We get no sick time at work and if we are sick we have to use vacation time. Because I used everything I had when Micah was born I have nothing until this September. I know we can make it with less income, but it throws the budget a little. Yesterday an old family friend came to visit my dad. We were going to try and make it by to say hi, but I was obviously feeling too yucky to go anywhere. We haven't seen this man in years, but he always told my parents he felt bad because he had not given us a wedding present. This was no big deal to us as six years have come and gone and it is not something I ever think about. Well my mom called me after he left and informed me he had left a substantial monetary gift. This was more than what it would take to make up the difference of me staying home one day. Wow, what a blessing! I have said it before, but I will say it again. God is so faithful even in the small things. Now I am going to get back to resting so I can be ready when my kiddos come home. Have a great week everyone

Two Blogs in One Day

Woohoo! I really am on a roll. Ok, ok I admit, I am only writing this blog so that my brain will not stop functioning due to excess boredom. When you work in an industry that relies heavily on good weather to function things get a little slow when rain overtakes the metroplex for more than one day.


So hmmm what can I babble on about. I did take Kaylie to the doctor today. She has been sick since Monday and has been feverish on and off for three days. She won't eat anything so I started to get worried. After two stays in the hospital in the past I am never willing to take any chances. There was nothing alarming, but the doctor did say she seemed to be in the beginning stages of bronchitis. They went ahead and put her on an antibiotic to prevent a bacterial infection due to her history. I am a careful mom, but I also believe in letting the body try to heal itself before overloading on unecessary meds. After a week of rest and liquids I couldn't watch her suffer anymore. Kaylie is very trusting of her doctor which is a good thing. She never acts scared to go in and is very happy when she leaves with a lollypop and sticker.


I just want to give credit to the Cook's Childrens Physician network. They are awesome and always prompt. We were called into the exam room within 5 minutes of setting down. I didn't even have time to finish filling out my paperwork. The doctor was in within 5 minutes of the nurse settling Kaylie in. We were out of the office in twenty minutes. Even though they are fast they definitely don't rush you. All of our questions or concerns are always addressed, and they work so well with the kids. Sometimes I think Pediatritions get busy and forgert they are still dealing with kids. All of the doctors in this office have a way of making the exam go smoothly while allowing kids to just be kids. Our children's primary doctor is Dr. Sharon Jackson. She has been with us since Kaylie was 2 months old. She is incredible. She was the one who realized Micah had a hernia and we had it promptly taken care of in about 2 weeks. I have been impressed with just about every physician in this network. Kudos Cook's! You have lifelong patients in our family, at least until they are adults =)

Rainy Days

Most people hate a day like today. I have to say I would like it much better if I was in Seattle. I love how we all instinctively want to curl up in bed, rent movies, and eat soup or chili. We humans are such creatures of habit. It is no wonder marketing geniuses make millions of dollars every year playing off our predictable insticts and emotions.

If I were in Seattle on a day like today I would bundle up in rain appropriate gear and mosey on down to the Pike Place Market. I can just imagine the smell of fresh fish, fruits and vegetables, and the salty smell of water drifting in from the sound. I would grab a hot plate of fish and chips and then head into a local coffee shop with a good book and enjoy a rich breve latte.

Back to reality in Texas on a Friday at work. Hey a girl can dream.

Turbulence Ahead

I have flown my whole life. I can't even recall my first flight, but you log a lot of air miles as a child when your dad works for an airline. I took the whole experience in stride. I even recall calming a few adult passengers when turbulence occurred and their agitation was high. Ironically my fear of flying has grown as I have grown. I'm not sure if this has something to do with worldly awareness, recent terrorism, or just the simple recgnition of my own mortality. Needless to say I am always hoping for a smooth flight in the days preceding any travel. When the pilot comes over and says their may be a little turbulence ahead I start to brace myself for the worst, but more often than not time passes and I look back a realize it was nothing more than a few bumps in the road so to speak.

I give this long analogy to preface my story for the day. I woke up to a typical Thursday, relieved it is one day closer to the weekend, but sad I still have two full days left two work. I hopped in the shower and decided I needed to pray. The shower is one of my favorite places to pray. In there it is just me and God... no interruptions. With things going along so well at home lately I dared not wonder when the next bout of usual domestic turbulence might arrive. With my day started out on the right foot, I was ready to go. I get out to find Kaylie downstairs laying on the couch still not feeling well. She has been sick for a few days. Chris and I start a discussin on what to do, and we both have our opinions. I take something said the wrong way, and then realize it is getting later and I could be late for work. This is where in my head we hear the captain come overhead,"Fasten your seatbelts, we may be experiencing some turbulence." There is apart of me that has a tendency to get defensive in tense situations. For once I decided to just shut my mouth. We made it to work and I decided to just let it go. Life is to short and I love my husband.

The point of my story is building upon yesterday's blog. I find that when I have let go of the control and allowed God to take preeminence the dreaded turbulent times become nothing more than just a few bumps in the road. The forseen nose dive suddenly becomes just a light chop. We are all human and until that glorious day of redemption we face a real world with challenges big and small. Will I slip up sometimes? Oh most definitely. Fortunately the grace and love of God are in hot pursuit of all who will let Him in. I'm hanging on to Him. It should be a beautiful ride!

Growing

This is the best word I can use to describe where our family is at right now.

Micah started doing something I never thought we would see. He slept through the night. It started at the end of last week, and he has kept it up. Of course he and Kaylie continue to grow physically. Soon Micah will be toddling around the house, and I know I will miss him wanting me to hold him all the time. Kaylie has decided she is a big girl. If I even call her my baby she firmly states,"no mommy, I'm a big girl!" or my favorite, "mommy, I'm not a baby, I'm a people." Where do kids come up with this stuff? I see Kaylie growing internally as well. She is more thoughtful about abstract concepts. We have talked a lot about spiritual things such as dying and where heaven is. It is exciting and a little sad as I realize there is nothing I can do to freeze time. All I can do is enjoy the moments and make the most of time.



Last week was definitely a watershed moments in my life as well as my relationship with Chris. For some unexplained reason a lot things came to a head that I had not properly dealt with. So many feelings of guilt, fear, and sadness finally were released, and we were able to have such a wonderful time of talking and sharing. God has totally shifted me in the past few weeks. There is so much peace in our home now. Not that things were always bad. In fact things were usually fine, but I know that because of underlying factors we were not experiencing full peace and joy.
As we have been going through the financial peace course it amazes that as we choose to discipline one area of our life that so many other things start coming into line.

If there is one thing I would like to impart from this whole blog is the power of release, and really letting go of the things that so easily hinder. The easiest choices are the hardest to make. Each day I am choosing to walk in forgiveness, choosing to love my family with abandonment, and choosing to let all of these choices be fueled by God's love and the work that Jesus did on the cross. Without His love all these decisions would be in vain.

Oh the Joys of Wednesday

I cannot even begin to express how happy I am that it is Wednesday and my work day is winding down. I have not had the rest I need this week, and my sleep deficit is really adding up. The weather is starting to show signs of spring and I am ready to get out with the kids and have some fun outdoorsy outings. Of course when the weekend arrives it is bound to be cold or raining.
This weekend we will be going to Chris' annual work Christmas party in March. This year it is at the Fort Worth Zoo so that should be cool. We haven't been on a date in awhile so I am looking forward to it. The kids are going to spend the night with grandma so we can actually go out afterwards and not worry about getting home and getting everyone to bed.

There is really nothing else going on. I just wanted to say I am glad to be on the downward slope of the week.