The one where I finally get my life back...

I absolutely cannot believe that I have not blogged in almost two months. That seems crazy to me when it's one of my all time favorite activities. Not to mention, the way I connect with so many people near and far. Oddly though, I have noticed that several people took blogcations and went AWOL. Thank you to those of you who still commented or sent emails or kept up with me on Facebook. I'm still alive. And improved. Not new. Just improved. So I guess I'll just catch everyone up as best I can and go from there. This may take a while so grab a beverage, put your feet up and dive in.

I had some health issues while I was gone. Namely, pneumonia that played "musical lungs" and hung on from December 15th (my birthday) until about January 18th. Not being able to breathe pretty much sucks. And coughing so hard you actually crack a rib is not high on the list of fun stuff either. I would never have made it through Christmas (remember it was my year to host my mom's family) if I had not been oddly organized this year (I say odd because I'm never this organized at Christmas). I had bought most of my gifts early (yay for online shopping!) and had actually planned my days out so I could get things done. Also, Mike helped more this year with Christmas than he's ever, in our entire life together, helped. In fact, I may consider having pneumonia ever year. Or at least faking it. Cough. Cough. "I'm sick". And the kids pitched in too. And I finally gave myself permission to not sweat the small stuff. And to consider many things "small stuff". So Christmas came off with out a hitch. The cleanup was another matter. I didn't get the trees down until January 19th. I also had my gallbladder surgery. Finally. We'd had to keep rescheduling it due to the pneumonia. It wasn't bad as far as surgeries go and I've recovered rather quickly for me. So I'm finally feeling more or less normal. Better than normal except for a continuing cough. Surely it will be gone by March?

Mike is doing well. He's actually off to National Camp School for a week to head up and teach the Ranger portion. He was suggested by someone he'd met, they conferred with his bosses, talked to him and off he went. He was so nervous. Public speaking is not his favorite. But we went over his lesson plans and everything the other night and he's going to rock this gig. The new rangers are lucky to have him because he'll be a great teacher. But he hasn't been gone for a whole week in like 5 years. I'm going to really miss him. And I sure as hell hope we don't get snowed in. I have no idea how to drive the tractor and plow snow. Also, for those of you who are thinking "Ha! Her husband's gone for a week, lets rob the place", first, there's not much to take. Second, we have guns and Sean will shoot you. I much prefer sharp stabby things so I'll shank you with my vegetable knife. But worst of all...we have a pregnant Lu who will probably gouge out your eyes with her bare hands. Seriously. Those hormones are wild.

Sean is good. Still rocking the telemarketer world and keeping us all in stitches with tales of his daily worklife. He almost makes me want to get a job there. Sean and Lizzie did drop the "not dating" part and dated over Christmas break. Unfortunately, it was short lived. Now they really are not dating. So girls, he's up for grabs again. And he's racking up a tidy little nest egg. Although, I must admit he's pretty generous with his money. He's currently making his summer travel plans and seeing how he can fit some work in there too.

Lu is good. Her pregnancy is going well and she has the cutest little baby belly. She's really starting to show this last week and you can tell it's baby not pudge. She hasn't had any problems other than tiredness and some nausea at all. Her blood work is looking good and holding out high. We heard the baby's heartbeat at the last appointment and it was strong and 166. This leads me to believe it's a girl. The name picking is not going so well. She wants something uncommon, but not ridiculous. Maybe I should have a "name Lu's baby" contest. The baby's father is very much out of the picture. He can't seem to put aside his own feelings and realize that there's a baby involved, it's not really about him anymore. I think it's hurt Lu's feelings somewhat on behalf of the baby, but mostly she's relieved. There is someone else in the picture. He is ready to take care of both Lu and the baby. But they are taking it slow to see where it goes. With her hormonal mood swings, dating her is challenging. I won't say anything further because some of the baby's daddy's friends read my blog and it doesn't need to get back to him unless they get serious. You know who you are...and so do I. So don't go telling tales. She's still working at her retail job and planning to take online classes in the fall after the baby is born.

Well, bet you finished that drink, huh? If you made it through all this, then you are pretty well caught up. I can't wait to read some of your blogs and find out what's going on with the rest of you! And I do have some wickedly funny conversations saved up. It's good to be back. I've missed you all.

♥Spot

Hack, Hack, Hack...

No. That is not a commentary on my writing abilities (or anyone elses). That is the sound I'm making as I sit here coughing up a lung. For those of you who didn't know, I have the lungs of an 80 year old smoker even though I've never been a smoker or even dated one. (Well okay maybe I dated one once, but we won't go there). Due to horrific childhood asthma that almost killed me and my yearly (sometimes twice yearly) bouts of pneumonia my lungs suck badly. So whenever I get sick even with a minor head cold, it tends to migrate south and lodge in my chest. So here I sit, in my jammies (they are really cute though), messy curls, and pink cheeks (thanks to the fever). No one is home, Mike & Sean had a camp out and Bobby has homecoming. I had to make my own tea!!! And even my cats are avoiding me.

I was supposed to go to Springfield today to my folks house. My sister & her fam are in town from Ohio. And my uncle is in town from Phoenix. But I woke up this morning feeling lousy (and as my hubby proceeded to tell me when he popped into the house for all of 5 minutes, looking like death- not the warmed over kind, but the kind that's been in the fridge for a few days. Thank you dear, for your support!) So since her girls had just gotten over being sick I decided to not go and re-infect them. So I called her:

My sis: You sound like crap.

Me: Oh good because that's what I feel like. Don't you hate it when you feel like crap and you sound amazing? *Insert hacking cough here*

My sis: So you aren't coming, right? Because the girls just got better.

Me: No, I'll spare you my Ebola. But I really wanted to see you.

My sis: You can always come visit. I mean, you can write at my house.

Me: Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Except that Sean had to go and get himself a life now so I'll probably have to come alone.

My sis: Damn teenagers. So selfish.

Me: I know right?! Their growing up is seriously cutting into their "keeping mom entertained" time. I have to amuse myself now. It's ridiculous. I mean isn't this why we had kids? So we'd have something to do?

My sis: So you're going to the doctor right?

Me: (a bit muddled) Because the kids are growing up? I don't think there's much they can do. *insert another hacking cough*

My sis: Noooo. Because of that cough.

Me: no. It'll go away if I rest today. I had it on Tuesday, so I rested and I felt better the rest of the week.

My sis: But you didn't have a fever on Tuesday. I remember you telling me that.
(It's hard to believe she's my baby sister isn't it? I mean, she's such a mom.)

Me: It's Saturday. There's no doctors. (Which isn't strictly true, but close enough).

My sis: Well on Monday, then.

Me: Sure. If I still have a fever and am hacking up a lung.

My sis: *sighs* Okay. Want to talk to mom?

Me: Nope. I talked to her yesterday. You can pass along the message. Love you.

My sis: Gee thanks. Love you too.

I'm hoping I feel better tomorrow so that I can go see Zombieland with Sean. And eat chinese. Because I love chinese food. And Molly saw the midnight showing of Zombieland (wench) and said it rocked.

And if you're wondering...the whole homecoming football thing? Yeah...it sucked. It was sleeting!!! We froze (even though I wore gloves and brought blankets) through the first half (in which our team got slaughtered. I mean slaughtered. Like 27 to 0. And the other team...all their senior players got suspended last week so they weren't even there. I told you our team sucked.) Then we did the walk out on the field and it wasn't bad mentally. Physically, it was brutal. Even Bobby was so cold he was shaking. I think it's the first year I've seen the homecoming court candidates standing there in gloves and hats and coats.

Here's a pic:



He didn't win, but thankfully, he didn't care. And then we all came home and got warm. I'm pretty sure the whole freezing and soaked to the skin thing accounts for the lung issue today. But you do what you gotta do, right?

Tea, tissues & cough drops,
♥Spot