May I Have A Birthday "Do-Over" Please?

Yesterday was definitely a birthday that will be remembered!  That doesn't mean it was great, though.  In fact, I'm looking forward to my birthday "do-over".  Haha

You see, the family caught the flu.  Jackson stayed home Tuesday even though I wasn't sure whether he was sick or just sleep-deprived.  (I found him on the computer at 6 a.m. and had no idea how long he'd been there.  It's not unusual for him to wake up in the middle of the night and climb into bed with us.) 
It was a half-day at school and I really didn't want to risk sending him only to get a call to pick him up and then turn right around to get his brother a couple of hours later.  Later that evening it became apparent that he was definitely sick.  Thankfully, he never threw up.  Wednesday Justin came home from work early with a cough and body aches.  That was a rough evening.  Not only did he get the chills that night and have to bathe in freezing water to bring his fever down, but Sadie vomited a time or two.  She had been coughing a little so I had hoped that she was just gagging on phlegm.  (Not a pretty picture, I know.  Sorry. :( )  The next morning (my birthday) she acted like she felt fine.  Happy.  Her normal energy level.  The cough was the only symptom then so I thought that confirmed my theory.  She wanted to go with me to MOPS so I let her.  Justin was still feeling terrible and this would give him a chance to rest in peace so I let her tag along.

The MOPS meeting was probably the highlight of my day.  I even won a door prize!  How often does that happen on a birthday?  We had some wonderful and uplifting conversations at my table too and my friend, Trische, gave an inspiring testimony.  I've learned that first impressions are often wrong or misguided.  No one has a perfect life and often times you have more in common with someone than you may have first thought.  I mean, Justin and I both had less than flattering impressions of each other when we first met and look at us now!  Haha  Honestly, it takes a lot to surprise me anymore yet I still find myself feeling just that...surprised.

Sadie and I were home just long enough to get Justin in the car and take him to the doctor.  Confirmed with the flu, we were all prescribed Tamiflu.  I knew that Justin wasn't feeling well, but I confess that I thought that a trip to the doctor was a little unnecessary.  We had him on over-the-counter medicine and I figured that-coupled with some rest-was enough.  I'm glad now that we went.  I still think it would have been enough to give him some relief, but he wouldn't have felt well enough to help me that night...and I definitely needed help last night.  At some point during the doctor's visit, I realized that I'd lost our mobile phone.  That and the internet are our only "life lines" to the outside world.  The alarm on it went off this morning and guess where it was?  In my purse the whole time.  Crazy!  But I'm still glad it's been found. :)

Yesterday was another half-day at school so as soon as we left the doctor's office it was time to pick up the boys.  On the way home, we stopped to at least pick up a birthday cake and some ice cream...not that anyone else would feel well enough to eat any of it, of course, but what is a birthday without cake?  ;)  I had left the kids insurance cards at home so I took everyone back before going to the pharmacy to fill our prescriptions.

Harp's didn't have enough medicine for all of us but we were able to get enough to last until today.  Little did I know that getting the kids to take theirs would be a battle like none other.  I really should have asked if they could flavor it but I completely forgot.  It wouldn't have mattered anyway since I found out today that they don't have flavoring at Harp's.  (Justin is currently out picking up the prescriptions and taking them to Walgreen's for flavoring.  We are both tired of fighting that battle.)

Shortly after I got home, the boys were asking for cake.  Sadie had fallen asleep in the dining room and Justin was sleeping on the couch so the boys and I went ahead and lit a few candles, they sang "Happy Birthday", and we ate some cake.  Another highlight to an otherwise blah day. :)

We were quite the lot last night.  At one point, Josiah was asleep in the bathroom, Sadie in the kitchen, and Jackson in the living room.  Justin also slept in the living room for most of the night.  We decided to take shifts and I was so thankful when Justin volunteered to go first.  I retired to the boys' room so I'd be closer to everyone in case they needed me.  There was occasional interruptions (for the obvious reasons) but I think I was able to get a better night's sleep than the one before.  Very grateful for that!  I finally felt confident enough at one point to go to my own bed and ended up sleeping until after 10 a.m!

Today is better.  Even though it looks like I now have a "touch" of the flu myself, everyone else seems to be feeling better at this point.  Tonight will be the true test of whether or not we're over the hump.  I certainly hope so since I'd really like to be able to concentrate some more on getting our apartment in decent shape again.  When even one person in the family is ill, it's easy for the place to become a mess.  With four to five, it's barely bearable. :/

Despite the eventful, yet less-than-envious birthday, I still have much for which to be thankful.  I was able to spend the day with my family and my parents are coming next week for the kids' spring break.  I could be sicker.  Thankfully, I'm not.  :)