Okay that is entirely to dramatic of a title but really... since last week starting Wednesday it has been a roller coaster ride that will not end until this coming up Saturday at approximately 8:30 pm and here's why:
Screenshot of phone that accurately describes how we are running...
We are still running but on about 1%. We are giving it our ALL to finish the race (and once we do we're taking a much needed BREAK!)
Let's start with Wednesday - One this afternoon all 3 girls and I packed up le van and headed to vespers for the Ascension. In our church we don't transfer the Ascension to a Sunday. What's Ascension? Ascension is the day in which Christ ascended (imagine that) to heaven and took his seat at the right hand of the Father. Its CLEARLY 40 days after Easter/Pascha - check it out it is in the Bible I promise.
We were without out Papa Deacon who was working (surprise!). We brought popcorn for pre-church snack and hummus and sandwich thins (the girls are on an anti-pita kick) plus carrots for dinner after. They got to play on the playground and then we put on pajamas and headed back to the casa. Driving to Raleigh during pre-rush hour makes thankful we don't have to put up with all that traffic here.
Now, Thursday. Normal day. Jibbe picked up the girls from school and I worked until about 5:29 then raced to get them to go to... SOCCER. Except not just soccer 4 minutes from the house - it was soccer 34 minutes from the house. Our one 'away' game. At 6:45. On a Thursday.
We made it though with time to spare. It was funny our whole team took a bathroom break as part of warm-ups because 35 minutes in the car will do that to you. Papa made it to the game too. After the game, the girls begged to play on the playground so I obliged and let them while I pulled the car around. Then it was off to the races home.
My estimations for being home at 8 were off by a solid 30 minutes. But we rinsed and hopped into bed while Papa raced off to Mass at 9 pm for Ascension. Thank goodness for oddly scheduled Latin Mass times : )
Friday -
Two left shoes not allowed for the next week because its a wild and crazy one.
Saturday - M woke up with a sort of fever 101-ish. Not terrible. I call the peds office and they say I can bring her if I think she's 'that sick' - which I don't. E and R were driving me crazy inside so they were thrown out to the sand and mulch around 8. M and I did laundry and ran Roomba. Then it was off to... You guessed it soccer. Papa met us at the game because you better believe he was working. I have mastered corralling the girls plus pushing the stroller plus carrying the ball bag.
Story of my life...
From left to right - Cups drying on the towel + lunch is served for the girls + snacks we brought to the game + the thought to make myself lunch + flowers Lee got me (I could have cried but then the vase tipped over when he dropped them off BEFORE the game and there was water all over the chair and floor that needed wiping up) + E's ocean in bottle project from school + mail and school papers
From that to this.. and I am just so thankful and grateful for these two (plus the one missing). Not a care in the world. All the mess on the inside can wait.
Lee got home from a Sams run and we consulted and decided to let E and R skip their rests IF they stayed outside. Not the best of ideas but they were so dirty and I needed to run into work and he needed to cut the grass and it was a super nice day. So I figured they'd survive it better if they had a popsicle.
And they did. Lee grilled wings and ribs and sweet potatoes for dinner which we ate outside. M's fever was still on the high side but she walked around outside and at pistachios and swung on the swing.
When it was time for showers at 7 we realized the girls had been outside for 11 hours so I was pretty proud of them - except for the potty breaks one of which must have involved sitting on the couch because the couch was filled with sand but I didn't even bother to find the culprit.
Saturday night is when things got dicey. Sometime before going to bed I check on M who is hot. I didn't check her temp at first then curiosity got me and I'm glad it did because her fever was 104.5. Yes. So get some fever reducer bring her in bed with us and it is still really high so we head to the tub with a popsicle. She was not a fan of the cool bath or the popsicle - I cannot say I would be either. Finally after about an hour she seemed to cool off but was full of energy but it was back to bed anyway.
Sunday morning I was hoping the fever peaked and broke but it didn't because it was still 101-102 when we got up for church. We divided and conquered. Lee went to Raleigh because, well, he would have gone there anyway but he was preaching and he took E because she can be trusted during Liturgy. I kind of talked it up to her - only big, responsible kids can go with Papa so R can't go. She was game.
R and M and I stuck around the house. I was playing Mass by ear and sprung for it after M and R ate some breakfast. We stood in the back narthex area behind the doors but fortunately they are glass. We were only slightly late by a couple minutes and then I realized it as Ascension on the calendar for the local Latin Catholic diocese so Ascension celebrate x2. R and M did well. I knew it was pointless getting a pew and I don't like watching Mass from the basement on the video screen plus no one else was in the back except for the ushers.
After Mass we found Jibbe and headed to the playground so R could swing (her behavior was reward-able so that was part of it) then it was off to DD for some breakfast.
We sat with a group of people who were there after Mass and included the priest - who is such a great man and his wife (because they are Episcopalian converts so there ARE married priest in the Latin Catholic dioceses - you just have to find them : ) M did not want to try her Munchkin but was glad she did.
This girl : ) All she wanted was a pink donut. And you better believe she got a strawberry frosted donut which sounds awful to me. Driving the short distance home made me think about all the hours we spend driving to and from church - so all you people who live within 10-15 minutes of your church - BE GRATEFUL
Sunday rest was imposed on all members and after they hit the swingset again. M did not because her temp was STILL not down and at some point in the afternoon it hit me that our schedule for the week coming up did not allow for a sick bebe. And at some point I realized all the careful planning and scheduling was out of my hands because M was going to HAVE to go to the doctor on Monday. On top of the fact it is the week before Memorial Day so there is absolutely NO give in Papa's schedule because people want their pools right before the weekend - the girls will be lucky if/when they see him this week.
Monday after breakfast and big girls colored their cousin's birthday card - that I finally found because I temporarily misplaced it. Only a week late is not terrible. I'm still working on E's birthday thank you notes too.
We hustle as usual out the door but not before I have the first available appointment at the pediatricians office. M's temp was 99-ish when we left the house. M and I drop the big girls off at school and we leisurely head to the doctor.. I'm funny
At the doctor, strep is ruled out (praise the Lord because if the other girls fell this week, it would have been O-V-E-R)... possible ear infection more likely some lingering bacterial thing from all the pollen and runny noses and coughing and watery eyes (or at least that's how I understood it). We head to Sams to get the Rx and tool around the store on the hunt for some gift cards for end of year teacher gifts - we were not successful. As soon as the med was ready I popped the top and gave some to my unwilling patient. She is so stinking mad about taking medicine right now - but I cannot say I blame her.
M and I head into work for an hour so I can catch up with my boss who has been traveling and to do some thing and to kill the time in between picking up the medicine and preschool pick up. We had about an hour and 15 minutes and the drive home is about 15 minutes and the drive back to preschool is about 15 minutes so 45 minutes at home would have been pointless.
At home everyone eats some lunch. M's fever is back up so it is more fever reducer and nap for her. And the big girls follow suit for the latter so work can occur.
Then it was time for.... wait for it, wait for it... Soccer. And there was no chance Lee was going to be there to be with M (who was seemingly better-ish) so we were doomed.
Story of my life...
From left to right - M's filthy socks that have been in the van for at least two week but haven't made it inside + my watch which I 'feel' like I need when I coach soccer so it lives in the van otherwise I would leave it at home all the time - this is confusing to Lee + $5 from one of the parents from last week for trophies + Jolly Ranchers - one of the girls treats from school + the world's BEST pen from our accountant + the checkbook from paying the mortgage on Friday + gum - I must have gum when I coach soccer too - I don't know why but not just any gum either a minty gum and preferably Orbitz light green but the dollar store only had this kind when I was getting R's end of class party stuff on Sunday
We ALMOST got to practice on time but I forgot there water bottles and remembered right as the garage door was closing.
Fortunately I have very forgiving parents plus it was 91 degrees outside plus I think we pulled in at 5:16 so that totally counts... not. Now M would have NOTHING to do with anyone except me. She screamed at the stroller and her snack and the ball I brought her and the parents who tried to take her. It was not her day. So we did the best we could and powered through. Coaching 4 and 5 yr olds with an 18-month-old + being pregnant is doable but when your mother-in-law pulls into the parking lot you might just hear the angelic choirs whisper Alleluia - maybe, no actually.
Jibbe came to my rescue so we could scrimmage the last 15 minutes - boy vs girls. It was fun. As in I had fun and enjoyed it. Yes it was so stinking hot but I needed those 15 minutes.
THEN it was time for R's game - which was bound to be super confusing because we were supposed to play the other red team. But the coaches vetoed that plan and we played a yellow team. It was probably one of the more evenly matched games and I finally had all the kids on the team kick the ball (direction we are not terribly concerned about). Yes there was the dirt playing and the staring off into the sky and just standing there as the other team scored a goal but it was probably our best game. Papa made it for the first half (and then had to jet off for the 2nd half) but he almost saw R score a goal.
After the game, it was a pizza party for the 3 yr olds - only the 3s have party organized by the county. Everyone ate pizza and push pops and got their trophies so all was well.
I talked to a couple of the other coaches which was nice. Jibbe pushed all 3 girls on the swings - because she's great like that. Then it was time to load up and head home...
Another season in the books : )
We beat Papa home despite lingering around the park. I got the feverish M in bed and rinsed the girls and got them in bed just as Papa got home. Then I took M out and gave her another cool bath which she hated and checked her temp often to make sure it was going down.
Lee and I sat down and watched the end of a baseball game and I was still left knowing that we ARE going to make it through this week... One way or another
Papa's work hours for the day - 13.5
Papa's work hour total for the week - 13.5
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