Cough and Fever to Boot.

I love my mother. I think that everyone should be able to admit this at least once or twice to someone that isn't his or her mother. Really, I think that it could be very therapeutic. You are probably wondering where I'm going with this. Well, as much as I love my mother right now I am thinking, "Mom, you shouldn't have." And I mean it. She shouldn't have. She shouldn't have shared her awful virus with the rest of the family. Computer virus you think? No, we have "techies" (company people on standby as the home compter is shared for dad at the office) who can wipe those out. Not a computer virus at all. It's the dreaded kind of cold or flu virus. I only put the "or" there b/c I have never ached this much in my life from a cold, nor run a fever for more than a day from a cold, but it's all in my head. No comments from the peanut gallery on that one, please. But that's not the worst part. The worst part is not being a sick mom having to take off 3 days of work and hoping to have a job when I go back, no. No, it's caring for a sick child while I am sick. If she feels anything like I do, I know she's miserable, and I hate that for her. I really do. She's run a fever off and on since Wednesday morning and been coughing and sneezing and sleeping and yelling and not sleeping and yelling some more. We went to the doctor on Thursday. He didn't put her on an anti biotic. He said it wasn't that bad yet, and maybe it wouldn't be bad now if SHE WOULD TAKE HER StiNKING MEDICINE!!!!!! Grrr. I cannot MAKE her take it. She spits. She gags. She locks her jaw. She swings her arms in every direction imaginable. I won't even tell you everything. You don't want to read about this forever. Nonetheless, we are still much more sick than I wanted to be on a Saturday night when I could have had plans. Lots of invites for the weekend. Darn this fever. Darn this cough. Darn this lack of sleep. Yes, perhaps I should be sleeping rather than typing, but then who would hear my cry? Who would I complain to? And how much fun would it be to not complain, seriously? I hope we are on the mend and I will be back to work on Monday. She will be back to daycare. As long as the fever's gone. Her's has come back this evening. She was fine most of the day yesterday and most of the day today, but tonight, now, she has a fever. I'm wondering if she's just getting it from me. Maybe, we're just passing it back and forth and we'll never really get better until we have time apart and expose tons of other people who can deal with this in stride. Words to the wise: 1. Avoid me like a plague until I'm better, 2. Don't let my mother babysit if she "just really tired." My mother doesn't get "just really tired" unless she's getting sick. Another life lesson learned. Pick up and move on, Rachel and Madeline, and get well.

...Rise up So Early in the Morn..

Madeline's new favorite song is, (are you ready for this?) "I've Been Working On the Rail Road." She sings along like she does with her ABC's... It's just too cute!

I've been working on the rail-road, all the live-long day, I've been working
on the rail-road just to pass the time away. Don't 'ya hear the whistle blowin'?
Rise up so early in the Morn! Don't 'ya hear the captain shouting, "Dina, Blow
your horn!"?

Dina, won't 'ya blow, Dina won't 'ya blow, Dina won't 'ya blow your Hor or
orN!? Dina, won't 'ya blow, Dina won't 'ya blow, Dina won't 'ya blow your
Horn?

Someone's in the kitchen with Dina, someone's in the kithen I Know ow ow,
someone's in the kitchen with DinaaAA! Strummin' on the ol' banjo...

Singing' "Fee Fi, Fildy I Oh, Fee Fi, Fidly oh oh oh, Fee Fi, Fidly I
OOOOHHhh OH," Strummin on the ol' banjo! Bum Bum.

Imagine all that from a 20 month old! It's cute.

I'm going out tonight... excited? Heck yea! It's been a Long, Weird week. I dropped my online class, so I'm only taking 2 classes rather than 3... That will be better. I have a dreaded feeling that my English class is going to take up LOTS of time. I have 10 books for that class. 10. For one class. I am hoping that I get to spend more time with Madeline that way. Besides, I don't have internet at our apartment, and going to my mom and dad's every night will be annoying. Well, I don't really have anything else for now... maybe more next week...

Change is Good?

That's what I keep telling myself. I can't elaborate, but I am being transferred within the company. It's not a move up or down... just across and hopefully in the right direction. That's all for now... I'm drained.

CMSU here I come

So, I'm enrolled in CMSU... 3 classes for the Spring semester. Lots of prayer... that's what it's going to take to get through the semester.

First class is Educational Psychology. I failed this class at Northwest. It was a 8am class and I was pregnant, that's my excuse, though it's not one. I'm looking forward to it. It will be at the Lee's Summit campus on Wednesday nights.

Advanced Fiction Writing is my 2nd class... I was very excited about this class until I went to the book store. yikes. Lots of reading for this class (and I'm guessing writing too), but it's an elective English, and I miss English. I know, I am a nerd. This class is on Monday's at Warrensburg... so pray for good weather too!!

Psychology of Adolescence is an online class. I can't get logged in for another hour or so, but I'm pretty excited about this one. I think that it will be great fun. We'll see what happens.

Side note-- Just got a call from my manager to meet with her and the President of the Company tomorrow before I head to work. I hope it's a good thing. I pray it's a good thing.

Why I have the Best Friends in the World

Alternative Title: Why my "Aunties" are the Bestest (By Madeline)

1. They're fun. We laugh LOTS when we get together. Laughter is good for the soul.

2. They are thoughtful. They actually wanted to see my new 1-bedroom place. And they said it was cute. Not that their opinion would have made me move out, but it's nice to know that someone else likes the place!! ;)

3. They buy me things... ok, that sounds bad, but it really goes with #2. My dear friends brought home-warming gifts for us. It was so sweet. I got everything from kitchen utensils to bath towels to TP. Lots of cool things. They didn't have to do that, but they did.

4. They help around the house... at least with moving TV's in and setting them up and clearing the table. Good times.

5. They are funny drunks.... okay, so one of them is a funny drunk, when she just says, "I'm not that drunk, I can still [insert something to do here, other than 'driving,' she never said that]."

6. They think my daughter is cute... though, who doesn't? Seriously?

7. They are fun in Wal-Mart.

8. They like my cooking... even with the cheap spaghetti sauce and "fancy" salad bowl.

Thank you, Dear Friends (Danielle W., Danielle S., Jessica, and Hannah) for a great time on Saturday. You gals are the "bestest." I don't know what I would do without friends like you.

Update needed

Sorry this has taken me so long... with the holidays my days have been full to the brim. I have exciting news, too.

1. Christmas was great. We had our CLT Christmas party on Friday, December 23. The Blues Brothers were there... There was kareoke. Yes, I sang. No, it wasn't good. My dad and the President of the company got up to sing. Yes, at least 1/2 of the company walked out. Hee hee. My mother was one of the first. Double hee. All the "closers and processors" (that's me), got up and sang 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton, but we sang it as 9 to 9. Fun times.

2. Later on Friday, we had Christmas dinner with my brothers and sister in law and my nephew and neice. It was cute. We opened presents after dinner. My nephew pushed a fairly large present toward my younger brother. My brother says, "Thanks, Daniel. Is this from you?" My nephew says,"Yes, it's a vacuum." We laughed. It was cute.

3. Saturday, we hung out and went to church. Sunday was church. But "Santa" came first. My little girl woke up early, which was fine, I was excited to see her open her presents. So she headed for the gifts. Found the biggest one and pointed to it. She tore it open like she knew what she was doing. It was a Wizard of Oz block set. (Who picked that out??) She started pushing buttons and taking blocks apart. She loved it. So, she didn't open up any other presents for hours.


4. On Friday the 30th, Madeline and I went to hang out with some dear (not old) friends. It was a good time. I haven't seen some of them since, since, well, a long time, even if I have emailed or talked to them on the phone. We laughed and played games... and ate. Lots of merriment.

5. New Year's Eve, I was in bed before 10:30. This is the first year that I think I've gotten mulitple invites. The first year I wanted to stay home. I'm so old.

6. Also on New Year's Eve, Madeline and I got an apartment!!!!! I put down the first month's rent on Saturday. It's a little one bedroom off the square in Harrisonville. So Excited. So Excited. No more living in mom and dad's basement!! YEA!!! We stayed there last night. Madeline slept all night, so did I. After moving our office on Friday and myself on Monday, I'm really sore.

That's it for now... Have a great day.