ella, aqua & ralph

Posted on by Julie Stiles Mills

PinkGirl caught my germ. And she was NOT happy about it. She caught it on Wednesday. Wednesday is play rehearsal day. Wednesday is the day she and two of her friends (sisters) play and sing in the car all the way to rehearsal – and back. Wednesday is usually a REALLY fun day.

Except this week PinkGirl had a fever of 101.2 and a really bad headache. She went to the school office at 2:00 p.m. and they called me on my cell to tell me. I was in the car pool line to pick up one of the play rehearsal friends who goes to another school. I had to call the friend’s dad and tell him, which threw a major monkey wrench in his afternoon because he then had to drop everything and come to school to pick up his girls and take them to play rehearsal because I couldn’t. I had to take care of PinkGirl (and try to keep the friends from catching the germ).

When I got to PinkGirl’s school, she immediately began crying when she saw me. She knew.

“Can you just give me medicine and let me go anyway?”
“I don’t get to ride and play with FRIEND1 and FRIEND2!”
“But my head is only hurting, I can still sing and dance!”
“I’m going to miss EVERYTHING!”
“Please! Mom!”

and many more tearful pleas as I continued to wipe her tears and say, “I’m sorry honey.” over and over again.

We got her brother out of school a little early and headed home. I had already made an appointment with her doctor for first thing Thursday morning (just a few hours before mine). We spent the rest of the evening curled up in a chair together, with breaks to take FavoriteSon to youth group and back.

Thursday morning, I scooped her up at the last minute, wrapped in a blanket and tucked her into the pre-warmed van to take her brother to school and then her to see the doctor. Everything went like clockwork until we got into the waiting room. We were the second patient to be seen and were sitting comfortably – until I looked at PinkGirl. I had just enough time to push her jacket in front of her before she ralphed. Only the jacket got it. She hadn’t eaten anything, but she did drink some water in the car. I walked her in the bathroom, and after a few minutes, she seemed stable, I washed out the jacket, and asked for a bucket on the way back to the waiting room. I ran out to the car and switched out the wet jacket with another one (it’s a minivan, there’s an entire wardrobe in there). I didn’t even have time to sit down before she lost it again. I tried to convince her:

“Honey, let’s get a room by ourselves for some privacy.”

“NO!”

“Come on, sweetie. I”ll carry you.”

“NO! I’m not going!”

She was not going to move in case she ralphed again. I ran back to the bathroom for wet paper towels and to ask for a room on the way. They were smart and called us in. She laid down on the examining table, shivering, so I spent the few minutes waiting on the doctor by wrapping her in my jacket and putting my arms around her to keep her warm. She had a pretty good fever going on.

The doctor came in and examined her while I told him what I’m just getting over. He says it’s a virus, but he wants to give her an antibiotic to prevent any secondary infection. And she should have a shot for nausea to prevent more vomiting.

Shot.

Tears. Pleading. More Tears.

This is the same girl who, twice before, when she was 4 and 5 years old – actually CHOSE the shot because she didn’t want to vomit. I try to talk to her, but she’s starting to freak out. I tell the doctor I’m going to hold off and if she vomits again, we’ll be back. PinkGirl immediately calms down.

So we left. She buckled up in the middle of the backseat and laid down with a pillow and a blanket (it’s a mini-van, there’s an entire linen closet in there). We drop off her prescription, I pick up some breakfast at McDonalds, and with a few minutes to kill before the prescription is ready, I stop at Target to buy movies. I left her in the van alone for the first time EVER. I locked her in and I actually ran into Target, grabbed 4 movies, paid for them and got back to the van in less than 8 minutes. She had fallen asleep. I picked up her prescription and drove to my doctor’s appointment.

In the parking lot at my doctor’s office, I wake her up and she immediately ralphs again. Perfectly calm, she says, “I want the shot.” I take a risk and give her the anti-biotic and a dose of ibuprofen with pseudoephedrine (it’s a mini-van, there’s an entire pharmacy in there). I dump a plastic container and hand it to her, just in case (it’s a mini-van, I had my choice of plastic containers – it’s like a dishwasher on wheels). I call my doctor from the parking lot to cancel my doctor’s appointment, drive back to HER doctor, get the shot, drive home.

I get her tucked in on the couch and put Ella Enchanted (movie #1) in the DVD player. We get to Ella’s rendition of “Somebody to Love” and I peek. Sound asleep. I pause Ella, mid performance and PinkGirl and I crash for two hours.

I have to wake her again to pick up her brother from track practice. We drive through Sonny’s BBQ for take out and, although she still has a fever, she EATS! We go home and finish watching Ella Enchanted, follow-up with a movie-long snuggle while watching Aquamarine (movie #2) and then more medicine and off to bed.

Today is Friday and PinkGirl woke up with a fever of only 99 degrees! Just in time to be better for daddy, who’s been on a business trip since Monday morning. He’ll be home tonight. I’m keeping her home today even though the medicine makes her seem completely fine. We are honoring the school rule of not brining a child to school within 24 hours of a fever.

Right now, two red blankets are on the floor (red carpet), the costumes are prepped and the fashion show is about to begin.

Fashion Show

Gotta go.

102.6 – 103.4

Posted on by Julie Stiles Mills

That would be my temperature for the previous three days. It hit on Friday night along with chills that didn’t stop. I slept in a tshirt, sweatshirt, long pants and with 4 blankets. Chills all night and the fever never broke. FirstHusband was my knight in shining armor (if knights do laundry, work on the taxes, finish multiple outstanding home repairs and take complete charge of the kids all weekend).

I didn’t get out of bed Saturday until I dragged myself to a Doc in the Box at 4:30 p.m. After waiting 2 hours while the ibuprofen wore off and my temperature rose again, the doc came into the examining room and greeted me with “so we have a sick little girl here.

No verbal response (Do not mess with me).

Then the questions:

“When did this start?”

“Friday a week ago I came down with what I thought was just a head cold, hardly any fever, stuffy nose, sinus pressure. By Thursday I was feeling much better. I even worked out with my personal trainer Friday morning and I felt fine. Last night, I got much worse, fever of 103, chills, pretty bad chest congestion, horrible sinus pressure . . . and then the helicopter landed on the roof and the aliens ran away with all my tissues . . . (What?  Ok, I didn’t say the last part, but I could have.  He wasn’t listening.)”

(there were more questions with lack of eye contact or acknowledgment of answers, but I would just get irritated reliving them, so let’s just skip it.)

First, the doc looks in my ears.  (Did I say ANYTHING about my ears?  No.  No I did not.)

Then he looked at my throat.   (Did I say my throat hurt?  No.  No I did not.)

Then he holds the stethoscope on my back, on top of my double layer of tshirt and fleece pullover while I breathe once, twi . . . (choking coughs) and doc says, “sounds clear.” (what? one breath? how could you even hear over all the coughing?)

He doesn’t look in my nose.  Doesn’t touch my neck to see if anything is swollen.  Nothing.

His diagnosis? “A little cold.”

So it’s viral? (a little cold? a little cold? Buddy, I’ve had a little cold before and I can stand up with a “little” cold.  I can sit up with a “little” cold.  I don’t have to sleep with my upper body elevated when I have a “little” cold . . . arrg!  let’s just skip it.)

“Probably viral, but just in case, I’ll write you a prescription for a Z-pak. (and do I take it just in case it is bacterial? or just in case I get worse?) You do have a low-grade fever, so just take ibuprofen for that. (low grade fever? 103?  what is a high grade fever?) Get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids (Carole Brady could have told me that.)

Since I have no confidence the Doc in the Box and since I’ve had pneumonia 4 times in my adult life, I filled the prescription to fight off any secondary infections that this “possible” viral infection is making me vulnerable to. I already have an appointment with my doctor on the last day of the Z-pak to follow up.

I came home from the Doc in the Box at 7:00 p.m. Saturday and went in the dry sauna for 20 minutes. (I have one in my garage – tell you about it later.) After completely clearing my sinuses, sweating out lots of toxins and hopefully boiling some nasty little germs, I went back to bed and did not get out until Sunday night. A few hours later, I forced myself to go back to bed with an Ambien so I could expedite more internal germ fighting.

Unfortunately, I really had to work Monday (today) and need to tomorrow as well. I loaded up on Sudafed (the real stuff) and ibuprofen and I actually felt pretty good. Tired, but not bad. No fever while the ibuprofen lasted and more than 24 hours since my first antibiotic.  Although, I was a total germaphobe today. I used an entire bottle of hand sanitizer on my self and the keyboard I touched, I wouldn’t shake anyone’s hand, I wouldn’t touch anything or sit near anyone and told everyone I encountered to wash their hands.  (To which nearly EVERYONE I encountered replied, “It’s okay, I’ve already had it.“)

Tonight, I let the ibuprofen wear off and my fever is only 100.2. Now that seems low grade.

So is this the flu everyone is talking about? I thought the flu included nausea and body aches with a little ralphing. I don’t have nausea or body aches and although I didn’t eat anything all weekend, I still don’t think I would have parted with it later. I’ve just got cold/bronchitis/sinus infection symptoms – but some kick (my) butt symptoms. And when I do get better, will I be immune to this nasty little flu – until it morphs itself again?

What a pain. How irritating. I’m going to bed. After I pray my kids don’t get this. I’ve been giving them “air” hugs since Friday.

freedom to be different

Posted on by Julie Stiles Mills

I’ve been reading Grace Based Parenting by Dr. Tim Kimmel. Chapter 7, The Freedom to Be Different really resonated with me. Check out my latest post over at Pragmatic Communion. It’s about giving my daughter the “freedom to be different.”

Here’s a bit of Dr. Kimmel to ponder:

“The primary way to give our children grace is to offer it in place of our selfish preferences. They receive grace when we choose not to commit sins against their heart when our human nature would suggest that it would be okay to do so. In fact, the greatest grace that children receive is when we can even see the sins we are inclined to commit against their hearts followed by our willingness to go against our selfish urges. So much grace is stolen in the heat of the moment by our selfishness. Kids want things, need things, say things or do things that either bother us, embarrass us, or hurt us. But sometimes the reason we are hurt is because we might be exercising immaturity, insecurity or indifference. We take things that are huge to children and trivialize them, or we take small issues and magnify them out of proportion.”

“If you have a different child and remind her about the sacrifice you’ve made to accommodate her quirks, it is not in a context of grace.”

peace. love. mickey.

Posted on by Julie Stiles Mills

I love Disney. I am a Disney freak. My dad worked at Disney World before it opened in 1971. I walked through the Haunted Mansion when there was still plastic on the doom buggies. My dad was part of the team responsible for painting the original underwater fantasy in the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ride (he brought me LOTS of “treasure!”) I once punched one of the three little pigs in the nose to see if it would bounce back like a spring (it didn’t – and I got a spanking.) I danced in a yellow gingham dress in front of Big Thunder Railroad during it’s grand opening! I walked the Candelight Procession every Christmas for 4 years. I learned to sing the alto part of the Hallelujah chorus in warehouse rehearsals behind the fire station in Magic Kingdom. I know how to sneak into Space Mountain (no. I’m not telling. That would be wrong.) I used to LOVE the Mickey Mouse Review (they moved it to Japan, I think.) I went to Grad Night and took a nap in the Hall of Presidents at 3:00 a.m.. I went to Night of Joy for years. I remember “E” tickets. I am a Disney freak.

Now WE are Disney freaks. Our family loves Disney World. We’ve gone to Disney on vacation every summer for as long as I can remember. Even though we only live 45 minutes away, we still stay at the hotels. We figure that people travel from all over the WORLD to stay there, why shouldn’t we? We don’t have travel expenses and we can bring our own car. We love the Disney experience, the Disney fun, the Disney food . . . the Disney MAGIC.

We’ve been annual pass holders since my daughter turned 3. Before that, we were able to rely on friends and family to get us into the parks for free and get us the “friends and family” discount at the hotels. Once PinkGirl turned 3, she became a paying customer and since cast members can only let in 3 people and themselves, we had to pay for her ticket. After years of imposing on said friends and family, we finally made the move to annual pass holder. All four theme parks – Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios (formerly known as MGM Studios), no block out dates. Then we upgraded to premium annual pass holders to include the two water parks – Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, and the 5 story arcade – DisneyQuest.

Every year we go to multiple Star Wars weekends at Hollywood Studios and the Christmas Candelight Procession at EPCOT.  We go to the Flower and Garden Show and the Food and Wine Festival.  We go to the parks multiple days in the year (for no special reason) . . . in addition to spending a week there in the summer. We know the tricks, the out of the way places and which bathrooms don’t have automatic flushing toilets (this was very important to PinkGirl).

PinkGirl and I are going to Magic Kingdom and EPCOT today, as a matter of fact. FirstHusband and FavoriteSon have been on a field trip to Georgia for the last three days and they will arrive back in Orlando around 4:30 p.m. and drive out to meet us for dinner somewhere “on property.” (Disney property, that is.)

EPCOT closes earlier than Magic Kingdom today, so PinkGirl and I will start there. The boys will join us for dinner (dinner at EPCOT!) and then we will probably go over to Magic Kingdom and stay till closing (11:00 p.m.) .

So, with that kind of background, you can bet I know some stuff about visiting Disney World. I should share. And I will – beginning today. PinkGirl wants to go to Crystal Palace for dinner (at Magic Kingdom). That’s a character dinner where Pooh, Tigger, Eyeore and Piglet visit you at the table. If we eat there, we will call 407-WDW-DINE and arrange “priority seating” (not reservations), for one of last available times of the evening, usually around 9:00 p.m. Why so late? Because the restaurant crowd is thinning out. Big time. And when there aren’t that many people left in the restaurant, do you know what you get? Pooh, Tigger, Eyeore and Piglet ALL at your table AT THE SAME TIME. You get your picture taken with ALL the guys.  Together!

Pooh and Friends!

peace. love. mickey.

“breaking” point

Posted on by Julie Stiles Mills

Jenn, over at Mommy Needs Coffee and Mommy Bloggers, has motivated me to tell the truth. I do not have it all together. When I don’t get my solitude (or any help), I reach my breaking point. So, in the spirit of honesty and solidarity, here are the events which led to my literal “breaking” point last week.

But first, a trivia question: What’s the difference between dropping your phone and heaving it forcefully to the floor? See the answer at the bottom of this post.

Back to the (humiliating) story.

FirstHusband left town on Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. and I drove him to the airport. (He returned Friday evening and we picked him up at the airport just in time for rush hour.)

I am taking iron pills because my blood work shows my iron stores are “depleted.” (“Iron stores?” I never shopped at an iron store.)

Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, alone with the kids. The kids do their chores, pack their own lunches, do their homework, pack their own backpacks, lay out their own clothes, bathe and dress themselves, but not without . . . encouragement. (They might call it nagging.) Through it all, I’m patient. Pleasant, even. When they want to stay up late on Tuesday night to watch American Idol “because EVERYONE will be talking about it tomorrow and I won’t know what they’re talking about,” I LET them stay up! (Have you ever heard the phrase, “no good deed goes unpunished?”)

So, Wednesday morning comes around and I have comatose children. PinkGirl didn’t even move. No groan. No turning over. Just dead weight. FavoriteSon is too heavy to drag downstairs and, while still in a coma, he pitifully BEGGED me to let him skip P.E. The fact is, I was wiped out too. When FirstHusband travels, I don’t sleep so well.

So, I did the UNthinkable. I let the kids sleep in an extra hour. I let my son miss 1st period P.E. and my 1st grade daughter be an hour late for school. I can’t remember, but I think my husband will learn about this as he reads this blog post. (Remember the family rule, hon. No helping. No complaining.)

Anyway. I drop the kids off a little before 9:00 a.m., go back home to shower, eat breakfast and work a little before I go BACK to school to have lunch with PinkGirl at 11:15 because the new girl is giving her a hard time. Get back to the house around noon. A little more work (and probably a little blogging, I don’t’ remember) and then it’s BACK to school to pick up the kids. I get PinkGirl and two friends at 2:40 p.m. and then wait for FavoriteSon to get out at 3:10 p.m. Everyone is hungry, so it’s off to McDonalds. I’m keeping PinkGirl’s friends for the afternoon and drop FavoriteSon off at the house to do homework while I take the girls to a park. While they play, I sit on a park bench, reading a book and taking notes for a seminar I have to deliver next week. Every 30 or 45 minutes I call home to ask FavoriteSon how he is doing on his homework. I’m patient. Pleasant, even.

After nearly two hours, the girls get bored with the park and want to go to our house to play for a while before I take them home. No problem. No big deal. Sure. We go home. FavoriteSon has finished his homework. The girls play upstairs while I respond to a client email request. I was supposed to take the girls home around 6:00 p.m., but it’s 6:10 and they just put Chicken Little in the DVD player. I let them watch Chicken Little sing “We are the Champions” before we go. I’m patient. Pleasant, even.

I tell FavoriteSon I’m taking the girls home and he can play video games until I get back. When we arrive at the friend’s house, I let PinkGirl walk them to the door and then, I even let her go inside for a few minutes. I’m patient. Pleasant, even.

When we get back to our house, it’s 7:34 p.m. So far that day, I’d been in a pretty good mood. I was feeling pretty good about all the nice things I’d done for my kids. I mean really. You read the post. I was great, if I do say so myself. Cool mom. Nice mom. Pushover mom.

So how do I know it was 7:34 p.m. when I got home? Because, in our house, we have a family rule: All electronics off at 7:30 on school nights. (American Idol was a test – which they failed.) So I say, “okay, guys, it’s 7:34.”

I wasn’t prepared for the onslaught. The screaming. The stomping. The sarcasm. The insults.

THIS is what I get from them after saying “YES” to them over, and over, and OVER all day?

I wasn’t patient. Or pleasant, even.

I had an armful of stuff from the car (and not all of it MY stuff either). Picture it. Ever seen a little kid stomp their foot on the ground and thrust curled up fists down at their sides? That’s what I did. But remember. I was holding stuff. And my Treo.

Amazingly, what I actually said next was, “Well, that’s got to be the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.” followed by, “PinkGirl, go to your room right now.”

Then I logged into ebay and sniped a Treo.

So what’s the answer to the trivia question? That would be $93, plus $15 shipping (If you have an ebay account and know how to use it). See, when you just drop your phone, it doesn’t always break. But when you throw it at the floor really hard, you have to buy a new one.

Yo, Jenn. Mommy didn’t have coffee Wednesday night. She had cabernet sauvignon. With dark chocolate.

meme – page 123

Posted on by Julie Stiles Mills

I’ve been tagged for two memes within 24 hours! The first was a trip down memory lane and a peek into the future all in one post. Very fun. Relaxing. More than a few minutes viewing you tube videos of old McDonald’s commercials.

This meme is pretty cool. Michelle (the artist) tagged me with this one. Here are the rules:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages.)
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Link back to the person who tagged you.
6. Tag five people.

So, the thing is . . . when I sit at my desk, i am literally surrounded by books. (I’ll have to post a photo sometime.) What to choose, what to choose. hmmm.

Office 2003 Timesaving Techniques. (yeahhhhNO.)
Mastering XHTM Premium Edition. (no again.)
The Bibliophile’s Dictionary. (too weird)
I could go into my daughter’s room and get Skippy Jon Jones (yeah, Michelle!)

Okay, here’s one:
The Story Factor, inspiration, influence and persuasion through the art of storytelling
by Annette Simmons.

This should be interesting. I haven’t even cracked the book until now.

“We have already covered the idea of touching our common humanity, but it may be a surprise to realize that the path to universality is via our uniqueness. If you want someone to think about their mother, tell a story that specifically describes your mother, a specific day when she took you to school, the clothes she wore, the model of car she drove, and so forth. Without effort, memories of their mother will surface.”

I think I’ll keep this one off the shelf for a while.

So, who to tag, who to tag. Lurkers. I tag you. You don’t even have to link back! Just . . . tag!

meme – 4 things about me

Posted on by Julie Stiles Mills

Lisa over at Lisa Write’s tagged me for this meme. Funny thing is that I had already drafted my responses after seeing Mel’s post on January 25th. I just had forgotten about it. So THANKS Lisa, for reminding me!

Beware, nostalgia makes me reminisce. And ramble. I won’t be offended if you fall asleep. Or quietly click away to a more interesting and less verbose meme.

4 Jobs I’ve Had:
McDonalds EVERYTHING

1st Job! – counter, drive thru, grill, manager, hostess, you name it! I still remember the “7 Steps”- Greet the Customer, Take the Order, Suggestive Sell, Take the Money, Assemble the Order, Present the Order, Ask them to Come Again. Yep, the phrase “Would you like fries with that?” is the foundation of my work ethic.

Legal Secretary/Word Processor

Great shifts for a college schedule! 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., 3:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. The 3:30 to 11:30 shift was when I learned to read a computer manual like a novel.

Computer Lab Coordinator at an MBA school.

Work at an MBA school, get a free MBA.

Self-employed computer and communications trainer and consultant.

Still doing it!

4 Movies Watched Over and Over:
Working Girl

I can so relate. I used to have a coffee mug, solid white and in small little letters, printed was the word “peon.”

A Christmas Story

“Doan leave me. Come back. Come back. Ahh. Ahhh. Ahhhhhh!” and “Frag ee lay. I think it says fragile dear. Oh.” Okay I”ll stop. But TBS, 24 Hours on Christmas Eve, wrapping presents. It’s a tradition. I have the DVD. And the Ralphie Bobblehead..

Elizabethtown

“So you failed. You failed, you failed you failed. You failed.” Great movie. Best scene? Susan Sarandon, tap dancing at her husband’s memorial service. Really. Not what you think. I cry every time.

Finding Nemo

“A boat? I saw a boat! It passed by here not too long ago. Follow me!” The quotes which have double meaning for our family? “Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming.” and our favorite: “Swim down together!” That what our kids do when they work together to . . . break us. Like they did tonight. oh. That would be yesterday.

4 Places I’ve Lived:
Parkersburg, W.Va.
Orlando, Florida

We LOVE Disney World! Annual Passholders! Ask me anything!

West Palm Beach, Florida

One Semester

Winter Park, Florida

Now THAT’s a contradiction.

4 Shows I Watch:
Amercian Idol

The whole family watches – on DVR of course

Grey’s Anatomy

Although last season was disappointing. Too much drama, not enough laughs.

Deadliest Catch

What do they call this? A guilty pleasure? shhhh.

Mythbusters

You CAN talk on your cell phone while you pump gas! Really! The Cool Geeks proved it! I married a geek. I gave birth to a geek. They both discuss whether Adam and Jamie are doing it right.

4 Places I’ve Been:
Washington DC

I want/need to go back, last time I was 17. I want to spend a few weeks at the Smithsonian.

London, England

Without my Luggage.

Bahamas

Two Disney cruises!

Atlanta Georgia

We visit near Atlanta, but my FAVORITE place is the bookstore in Valdosta. I75. Exit 5. Can’t drive through without spending at least $50. (That’ll get you a couple sacks of books.)

4 People Who email Me Regularly:
Clients

ebay

I know, my watched auction is ending. I KNOW.

My kid’s teachers/school.

The ladies in my women’s circle from church.

4 Favorite Things to Eat:
Triscuit Rosemary & Olive Oil Crackers with sliced Cracker Barrel 2% White Sharp Cheddar Cheese with red wine.

Dark chocolate with red wine.

Asparagus

Pasta – Barilla in the yellow box. Boil water, cook pasta for 8 minutes. Done.

4 Places I’d Rather Be:
Somewhere without clocks.
The beach.
On a cruise.
Somewhere I’ve never been (which would be just about everywhere).

4 Things I Look Forward to This Year:
Getting stronger (and thinner).
Getting “stuff” out of my house.

I LOVED the bloggy giveaway!

The Whale of a Sale

HUGE church rummage sale – during which I bring a lot of “stuff’ – and BOOKS – into my house. Click here for a picture of my pride and joy! I take two weeks off every year and work the books! And buy the books.

Closure. Lot’s and LOTS of closure.

NO! If I can only put 4 things, my NEW one is MY BABY SISTER is having a BABY!

I get to hold a baby, kiss a baby, smell a baby, rock a baby. Wooo Hooo!

4 People to Tag:

Michelle Kemper Brownlow at My Semblance of Sanity (Look at her drawings! She’s GREAT!)

Elle at A Complete Thought (She also writes for Rahab’s Thread!)

Alyson at Welcome to Wherever You Are.

(and one more, but I’m having a little trouble linking to her right now.)

now THIS is marriage

Posted on by Julie Stiles Mills

The Story of Us. Michelle Pfeiffer. Bruce Willis. Their kids have been away at summer camp. They spent the time “separated.” They pick up the kids, the kids get in the car and they are supposed to go to a nice, quiet restaurant to tell the kids. You know. TELL the kids. But then. They figure it out. THIS is marriage.

This is real life. Recognize it. Live it. Embrace it. Appreciate it. Give thanks for it.  It is harder than we thought it was going to be.  Don’t give up.  Fight for it.

Till death.

whining woman say what?

Posted on by Julie Stiles Mills

Anemia? What? Are you sure? Iron supplement for two months? TWO months?

I don’t wanna. (in a big baby whining voice.)

I’m just going to sit down for a minute.

I’m wiped out. I’m going to bed. (at 9:00 p.m. on Friday night)

Wait, what’s that on my leg? And another one on my arm? How did I get BRUISES?

ohhhh.

I took my first iron pill yesterday. Why don’t I feel better yet?

How long is this going to take? I need to finish painting the bedroom and the lawn needs mowed.

DO NOT TAKE (wow, all caps even) within one hour before or two hours after antacids, eggs, whole grain breads or cereal, milk, milk products, coffee or tea.

COFFEE? Seriously. COFFEE?

AND I can’t take the iron within two hours of taking Nexium!

When am I supposed to take this stupid thing then? (again with the big baby whining voice.)

Stupid Nexium probably caused this.

Stupid fibroids probably caused this.

Stupid weight training probably caused this.

Well, this is . . . a pain, annoying, inconvenient, ridiculous . . . stupid.

I don’t WANT to play anemia. This game is stupid.

I’m going over to read Elle’s post again.

And I’m going to paint the bedroom. It’s just going to take a little longer to finish, that’s all. Hey, FavoriteSon! Mow the grass please!

Thank you God, that blogging doesn’t require physical exertion.