It has been another rough week. I came home a few hours early on Tuesday because Beth was feeling really sick, but by Wednesday, she was getting better enough to go to see the doctor in FW for a consult and teach at the last Kids Klub of the season. Then on Thursday, she was feeling really sick again. Again, I left work a few hours early (I should’ve stayed home altogether) to take care of the kids. When I got home, Alex was sick as well. I took the kids to the McD drive-thru for dinner Thursday night and we had to pull out of the line quickly to avoid a bad accident. I took Friday off to take care of everyone. Alex had a terrible upset stomach the rest of Thursday and all day Friday, so did Beth. Even though he was doing better by Saturday, we kept Alex home from soccer again even though he might have been ok, but we wouldn’t chance it. Beth was still nauseous, aching all over, and with a terrible headache all day Saturday and wound up in Medstat today. Guess what, it’s a virus. Gee thanks. But she got some anti-nausea medication and is doing better now. Missy has been barely touched by the bug, and I haven’t at all. Hope that stays true. The kids are both well enough that we’re planning to send them both to school tomorrow, but a friend is taking them in and picking them up.

Everyone is basically on the mend, except Beth, who is feeling sick all over again now. Missy missed one day of school, Alex didn’t miss any. More good news, we finally had our dryer fixed, and it is running as well as ever now. I also did some lawn work to try to get some grass to grow in our front yard this year. Been digging up some nice dirt from the backyard and moving it to the front. Alex had soccer Saturday and had a great time (needs to learn to pay attention, and that he can’t pick up the ball even if he wants to get a goal). Then haircuts all around. We were also supposed to have a date night Saturday, but out babysitter cancelled on us, which was just as well because we were asked to babysit Jake and Lily Saturday night anyway. So the kids all got to play together. Today we went to Michigan to visit with Pam and Marve, and since it was Pam’s birthday (and several others in the family) Ric and Stephanie and their families all came over as well and we had a cookout. Alex had a great time playing with all his cousins (he adores Ryan) and exploring the woods around their condo (a small strip of pine trees). She was feeling sick by the time we came home. In other news, I have gotten two more football responses, a polite letter from Houston and a letter-less envelope from Dallas, containing a team sticker, photo, and cheerleader photo.

This morning there was a pretty big earthquake. It didn’t wake me up, but something was rattling and woke Alex up, and he woke Beth and me up. It felt like the bed was vibrating, then I stood up and it felt like the floor was vibrating. Strangest thing. It went on for a minute or so. "Are we having an earthquake?" I asked Beth. She didn’t know. Of course we were both groggy enough that we weren’t sure it had been real by morning.

Spring break, no school for the kids. Mom and Dad were here this past week. I left work a little bit early Monday because I felt bad (couldn’t focus, feeling chilled) and on Tuesday I felt awful and called in to work. Mom and Dad got here Tuesday evening after the kids were in bed and I called in for Wednesday as well. I was sick basically the entire time they were here, and Alex was just getting over it. He had somehow gotten it into his head that Gramma and Grampa were going to take him to Tokens & Tickets, so on Wednesday they did. Alex loved it, especially the part where you shoot out the clown’s teeth (Beth said he was good at it). Thursday I was still off work sick. Mom and Dad took us all out to Schoop’s for dinner, and I thought I was doing better by evening, so I went in to work on Friday morning but went home by about 10:00, feeling awful again. I went to the doctor with Alex and we both got some medicine (he was basically fine, I was getting bronchitis). Then Mom and Dad and Beth took the kids to the mall in Fort Wayne to do some shopping while I stayed home. They went on to catch a plane to Laura’s from there. In the evening, Missy began running a fever.

It’s been a rough week. Beth was sick last week, and this past week it’s been the kids. All was well on Monday, when I took the kids to the Carnival at their preschool..it is not easy to keep track of both of them at a place like that. Beth was at Bible study so I took them myself. However, Beth had neglected to tell me that you have to pay for tickets to do the games and such, so after getting the kids (in the rain) in the door, and them getting all excited, I tried to explain to them that we needed to leave so I could go get some cash. A very helpful lady that was working there saw us packing up and comped us a bunch of tickets, so we didn’t have to leave, which was good. Once inside, as is typical, Alex wanted to run all over and do everything and Missy planted her feet, crossed her arms, and glared at the floor (it was too noisy). But we managed, eventually getting the kids to about all the game stations (Missy like the fishing the best) and coming home with a load of cheapo plastic toys and candy. We even won two prizes in the last cakewalk of the evening...Missy won the first choice and I won one later on (I let Alex pick the prize). A couple days after that, Alex got sick. Several days of high fever, tired all the time, not wanting to eat, runny nose. No missed school, but Thursday and Friday he wasn’t feeling well. Saturday was supposed to be a fun day for him (soccer in the morning, and a birthday party for a classmate at Joy Jungle) but he wasn’t feeling well enough for either one. We thought he was ok enough for us to go to Churchill’s in the evening for a movie night but he came down with a fever while we were gone again.