Finally did something over my Christmas Vacation...

Yesterday was the first day that no one in the family was sick since Christmas. Yep, the girls started on the 26th, Mark on the 27th, Me on the 28th. It sucked. The first time in a while that ALL of us were off and we've been fighting sick.

After I returned from Starbucks (Katie and I went), we gathered everyone up and headed out. I dropped Mark at the gym by 10 AM (he is obsessive, you know, and works out a good 3 hours plus a day). I didn't get out 'cause there was a 12:15 cycle class that I wanted to attend and the daycare at the Q has a 2 hour time limit. Besides, I wanted to run my car by the Mazda dealership. My CD player occassionally decides NOT to play when it's cold. And since my car isn't even a year old yet, I find that irritating. I finally called them yesterday, and they told me to run by, they would take down the serial number offf of it, and order a new one. So we did. The girls loved it 'cause Hiley Mazda is also Hiley Volkswagen - and there were tons of "bug" cars for them to ogle. (and the super nice service guy let them climb into one to check it out!)

After ogling bug cars, we heaed to Barnes and Noble as we still had a bit over an hour to kill before time to head to the gym. I think that (besides the Coffee Haus) that is our favorite place to hang. We get something to drink, find a magazine or book to look at, wander around, sit, etc. Yesterday, Em quickly found the new Nick magazine and the new American Girls magazine. Katie found a pokemon magazine and I found Shape. We skimmed, sat, relaxed. Finally, I went and got a new journal - 'cause let's face it - I can't always be right at the computer to blog - and do you really think I blog EVERYTHING *g* I wrote a bit, thinking about what my goals for 2001 are - at least physically.

Yikes!! I need to get moving and get everyone up and going. More later -

posted by... deb at 8:05:19 AM | Link Me!

Much Better Today...

Yes, that queasy feeling is gone. I'm a little tired, but not too tired. A little achy, but more from being stiff than from being sick, I think.

I'm so far behind on what's going on on the net. Need to read everyone's blogs, and check the boards. I did just upload Cat's latest story - LOL. So at least I'm keeping The Other Side up and running.

Heading out to Starbucks for some coffee and some Banana Nut Bread (started craving it about 9:00 last night after I ate some Chicken Noodle Soup)

Catch you guys later...
posted by... deb at 8:09:33 AM | Link Me!

Man, am I sick...

it hit me last night, just as I was about ready to get on-line and blog. Started feeling all queasy and achy. I went to bed, and was up by midnight, puking and such fun stuff.

Am feeling better than last night, but just wanna sleep.

Catch you folks later - hopefully tomorrow....
posted by... deb at 1:35:42 PM | Link Me!

I was awakened at 3:00 AM to the sounds of retching....

Yep, and not only that, it was coming from the stealth child who had climbed into my bed. I grabbed her and made a mad dash for the bathroom. Checking her bed, I found it well puked on. She hadn't wanted to tell anyone, so she just got in bed with us. After making sure she was ok, I started stripping sheets off of her bed, and Mark began stripping sheets off of our bed (I wasn't quite fast enough to leave my bed completely unscathed.) I started the washer, started scrambling for extra blankets, got her a drink of water, into clean jammies, etc. And I was mad - not because she was sick, but because she didn't tell me she was sick. So, by 3:20 or so, we had the little one all tucked into a clean bed, with clean jammies, and with an empty bucket nearby.

I got into bed, and then the light in the hall bathroom flipped on, and the sound of retching began again. Yep, this time it was Em. She was a smart cookie, though, and didn't puke in her bed. So, gave her a wet washcloth, a sip of water, an empty bucket, and tucked her back in. I was awaken a couple of more times , so about 6:15 I got up, then laid down on the couch and dozed a bit.

I know where the virus came from. My niece. Yep, Christmas Eve she was sick. My sister KNEW this, yet didn't tell me that my niece had been throwing up - just that she didn't feel good. I assumed a cold or a sinus thing (her kids are ALWAYS sick with cold type stuff). Dumbass me, to assume such. I could've saved exposure to this. Last night, she and the rest of her family came down with this, though.

The alarm went off, and Mark got up to head to the gym. We decided to do the gym in shifts. He left here at 8, and I was to go later.

Then I had to do some more laundry - yep, underwear and jammies (a little diarrea goes along with this for some). Got a new term from Em today, too. It's gross, so skip over it if you don't wanna *hear it*. Ready? "poop juice" Yep, isn't THAT a lovely image.

The kids are both feeling better now - had the bland-ish kind of things - flour tortillas, chicken noodle soup, Sprite. I'm feeling ok, just a little queasy, but I don't think I'll really get it. Mark is feeling VERY queasy and is in bed now.

Got Some On-Line Stuff Done...

Yep, give me a hand! Changed my bloggy graphics, and uploaded a story my Christmas story on The Other Side. Progress, I tell ya, progress. Hopefully I can keep the writing momentum going, and finish the next story - this one, though, isn't a future story - but the one after "Just Breakfast..."

Bloggy Reading...

No, it was NOT my intention to give you heart palpitations. I had to get that story out of me, 'cause I knew if I didn't write it and post it, it would likely never surface. Many a story ideas have died that way, ya know? Start something for a GWP or Holiday, and don't finish it... I really couldn't have done it without Shana's help, was afraid it was just way "bad" and boring. Feel free to e-mail me your questions *g* Can't promise I can answer them all, but would love to hear your thoughts.

And I'm glad you had a nice Christmas with the guys. And it's raining here, too. Nasty cold, and lots of rain. Now, don't forget to blog about WHAT ya got! And of course, I'll keep your family in my thoughts!

And, Misty! I lova ya too, kid! I completely understand all of your feelings on the situation, and about the other? Your dark secret? Who says it's crime to feel apathetic sometimes? To have those moments of not caring? I agree, though, it's easier to deal with solid, strong emotion. I'm glad to know that you have pulled through it, though. Likely these moments will help you get through more in the future, ya know? Not that I'm saying you must analyze, but you get my drift, right? Sometimes something really awful happens to us, and we get through it. Later, something else comes along, and we are better able to deal....

And Tina! Of course you are one of the folks I KNOW care about me, not what I do. And I'm so sorry about Rachel. Poor thing. It SUCKS to be be sick on Christmas. And don't feel guilty - you both wanted to see the show, it was a mistake, cause she got all sick again. But it's over, she's safe, not likely worse for the wear. And you showed her you were willing to listen to her about how she says she feels, not just played the ogre mommy of "You are still too sick". Yes, there are tragedies in the world (a local one hit tooo close to home for me, but I'll talk about that later) and we are lucky, all lucky to have our families and our health (illness, yes, but we all still have our health. Your cancer scare is over) (((((big hugs))))) honey. I know things will look up later this week.

Wow, Kyrie! Sounds like you had a great Christmas. All of those sermons! And the opportunity to truly relax and worship. ::::sigh::::: Didn't make it to mass this year... And thanks for your comments on my feelings and situation. Just count yourself lucky that you WEREN'T around during the turmoil. And sometimes, being in the dark is good. The gory details might scare ya (wink!).

Oh, Danielle. I'm so glad that you have David. It will give him some peace - inner peace. What a beautiful gift for Christmas. You can be the adult, he can be the child. It sucks when the kid has to be the adult. Though you likely don't know it, you have given him a wonderful Christmas gift - a gift of someone that loves him unconditionally.

Chris? Merry Christmas to you and Keith! I got your card and the GREAT pix of you and him! I can't believe that time is approaching closer and closer to June. I also found some more graphics for you to view - for when you wanna load wedding stuff. Go to Robin's Web and check out her special occassion linkware...

And, Eric, darlin? Thanks. For more than you will ever know. I will keep you and your family in my thoughts, so that 2001 is a better year for you. My heart goes out to you. Yes, you DO have a heart of gold And I'm so glad that I've "met" you through this medium.

And for the rest of my friends? DQ? Shana? JenC? Steph? You folks plan on bloggin soon??

There but for the grace of God go I...

I want you guys to all know how thankful I am for my family. I honestly believe in the soul-mates. And that Mark IS the love of my life. A tragedy in the news always brings that to the forefront. The headline I woke up to Christmas morning was about the murder of a police officer in a nearby town on Christmas Eve. He left behind a wife and a nine-year-old son. They suspect that seven inmates that escaped earlier this month from a South Texas prison are responsible. Pray for his family. Yes, there but for the grace of God go I...
posted by... deb at 8:39:37 PM | Link Me!

Yuck! Sick kids, sick kids!
posted by... deb at 10:02:25 AM | Link Me!

Some Thoughts for the Holidays...

I wanted to take a minute and send out some hugs and love to all of the folks that visit here. I appreciate your support, your interest and your caring. I even appreicate your curiosity.

It's not Thanksgiving, but I'm I want you to know I'm thankful...

I am so very thankful. Yes, I've had health problems this year, but I know that there are others with more serious health challenges.

I've discovered that there are those out there who truly care about me, Deb, the person. NOT the webmistress, but me personally.They've shown in through their calls, their e-mails, and even the mail. Though I only know many of you through this medium, I want you to know I appreciate it more than you will ever know - and feel I do know *you*, even though I haven't met many of you face to face. I apologize for my lack of consistency in my correspondence - I've been terrible returning e-mails, I hope if I owe you e-mail, you will forgive me. I'm hoping to send e-mails out to those who likely felt I've ignored them. I haven't. I've just been internally overwheled.

I lost one of my best friends this year. Well, someone I had thought was one of my best friends. Yes, we talked on the phone daily, we exchanged e-mails several times a day. We shared our personal information. But I got burned. And hurt. But through that loss, I have been able to repair some other broken friendships. Hopefully there has been some healing. And again, I apologize to those I've hurt. I'm so thankful to some of the ladies in the Trixie community out there, for allowing us to heal and repair. And to help me understand I'm NOT completely to blame. I really couldn't have made it through, especially without the support given me by the Forum Ladies. You know who you are - and again, thanks.

And Shana firmly believes that there is a lesson to be learned in every aspect of life, especially in those times when we feel we've hit the bottom. I couldn't for the life of me, figure out what my lesson was in this whole two-faced, two-named person fiasco. I searched. Many times I thought I was close. But it never truly came to me. I never felt I was quite right about what it might be. I shed many tears over this, and felt like a failure, not being able to find out what MY lesson was, why I had been so unlucky in life.

But just this week, it hit me. It's taken more then 5 months for me to understand what the lesson was, but I think I finally know. It was a combination of things, really, that made me realize. And, though Mr. Brooks doesn't know it, he helped push me to the realization. Wanna know what my lesson was? Well, here ya go:

Don't take yourself too seriously

Yep, that's it. Especially our on-line lives. Life is serious enough as it is. Life is hard at times. But there are moments of joy daily, if you will only allow them to be born. And when you take every aspect of your life seriously, you cannot step back and enjoy. Yes, life IS serious, but if you take yourself too seriously, never will you truly enjoy life. It doesn't mean I think as myself as unimportant. That what I do on a dialy basis doesn't make a difference somewhere. I just know that since I came to that realization, I feel as if the weight of the world has fallen from my shoulders. Peace, that's what I've gotten. Inner peace. I hope that everyone out there has some inner peace, even if for a moment.

So, Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays. Blessed Be. and Peace.

Again, thank you. ((((big hugs)))) and lots of love.
posted by... deb at 9:33:41 AM | Link Me!