Thankful

In case you missed it -- I've been sick.

Stop reading this paragraph now if you already know this story, because you're going to be bored. If you *didn't* know (last chance, you probably shouldn't still be reading)-- Thursday afternoon (Dustin's birthday) I started feeling miserable. I downed some ibuprofen and started feeling better Friday morning (the day of Nate's birthday party). By that afternoon I was feeling miserable again, but drugged myself up again to get through the day. Saturday (Nate's birthday) I woke up unable to swallow so I headed off to the Urgent Care. Strep Throat. Gave me a script for penicillin and promised I'd be better in 24-48 hours. Saturday was miserable. I honestly don't even know what happened. Sunday was worse. Monday I went back in and it turns out the infection had gotten worse. They gave me a shot in the butt, doubled my dosage, gave me some prescription pain meds and told me to cross my fingers that I would feel like I was turning it around by Thursday. It's Tuesday night and after 4 days of no voice, a liquid diet, hot flashes, chills, a swollen face and ear aches so bad that my entire face radiates with pain. . . I finally feel better than I did two hours ago. I even tucked my kids into bed.

OK, so now that we've recapped how much strep sucks in adults, yadda yadda yadda. . . On FB, there is a "Postsomethingyou'regratefulforeverydayinthemonthofNovember" challenge going around. I was reading some and I thought, "I could probably fill 30 days just from this sickness." And so I did. And more. So here's a HUGE thank you to the 30+ people who made me grateful during a week where I was quite certain I might die:

1. Dustin -- I don't even think I can list everything he did, but his homemade chicken soup and constant trips to the store kept me as comfortable as possible. I mean, this is a man who took all 4 kids to tennis, picked up his own birthday dinner and cleaned up the mess. And I've been SNORING this whole week and he hasn't even exacted his revenge. Need I say more?

2. Karen -- Taking the kids Friday to make sure I could get some rest before the party, offering to take them to church (she even said if I was splitting them she would take LUKE -- you might think he's cute, but we all know he's a disaster at Church), bringing in dinner, taking Ellie on Today for homework and the massive activity run around day, driving all of our many carpools both ways, and always checking in on me, eben when I couldn't talk.

3. Casey -- Giving me very sound Nurse advice (without freaking me out like SOME PEOPLE -- I seriously appreciate it, I know you think I don't, but I do! Otherwise I wouldn't harass you for it so often), volunteering for just about anything you could think of (except for cleaning my bathrooms -- that was not on your list of offered services) and taking Sadie during Nate's party at the last minute.

4. Susan -- Texting me the second she found out to see what she could do to help with the party, volunteering to take the kids and insisting on taking Luke along with Sadie for the entire day so I could take a three hour nap. It's a good friend who takes your child who is still in the top half of his Halloween costume from the night before in a diaper that might not have been changed because "you look awful." I may forgive her for that comment.

5. Ellie -- Blowing up over 3 dozen balloons for Nate's party and many many hours of helping me with the kids and picking up some cleaning slack. Basically being the mom when I needed some extra help. But mainly for tickling my back and talking to me. You are an angel.6. Nate -- Getting me many many cups of water and always asking me how I'm feeling or if I feel any better. And when I started crying because I missed his birthday telling me it was OK and he knew I loved him and he hoped I felt better soon.

7. Sadie -- For playing with my hair and always coming in and talking to me when I was laid out in bed. You were always such funny company.

8-13. All my friends who still let me come to the October Birthday dinner even though I was sick and especially Brenna who even let me sit next to her. And for all coming back to my house and not caring that I wouldn't get out of the chair to be a good hostess. And also putting up with crazy hot temperatures because I was having chills.
(I'm just randomly inserting picture of my kids in here from last Sunday, when I was just being lazy, but laying around in bed and they all came and hung out with me, but for some reason there is no picture of Nate).

14. Heather Griffiths -- being my sick buddy and checking in with me all week to see how I was doing. Misery enjoys company and you were delightful company. Just complain more next time. I'll be the tough one.

15. Everyone at the Ward Party who asked my kids how I was doing. They noticed and they came home and told me. It made us all feel loved.

16. Brenda -- offering Jamba Juice and bringing over popsicles. We'll always be friends -- even if we aren't in the same Ward anymore.
17. Brenna -- bringing salad and dessert, although the bars were unevenly sized. I'm kidding! Brenna was very embarrassed that she sent over the wrong tupperware of dessert. They got the pretty ones and I guess we got the rejects. I think the kids devoured them before we could even check.

18. The Martin's -- showing up with a yummy plate of cookies which my kids gobbled down for an after church snack. Dustin was at Church meetings and I think they were starting to eye me to see if I would cave and tell them where the Halloween candy was.

19. Maggie -- answering all my million medical questions, and knowing how bad that butt shot hurts and the importance of good pain meds.

20. Kristine -- insisting that I should feel better by Monday, not worse and making me go back in, at which point I finally got enough junk to turn this baby around.

24-29. Sarah Slavinsky, Amanda Schouten, Maren, Rikelle, Julie, Karen Cherington -- all your sweet texts and e-mails checking in on me and offering to help, run to the library, bring me food. . . Did anyone offer to fold my laundry or clean my house?? Because I might take you up on that ;D

30. Tia -- dropping by a new kind of soup because as yummy as that chicken noodle soup was, I couldn't eat if for a 4th day in a row.

31. Stacy -- bringing in dinner on a very busy Halloween night so Dustin could have more time to get the kids ready and take them out to enjoy Halloween while I stayed behind to scare all the Trick-or-Treaters in my very real costume of "Girl Moments Before Death."

32 & 33. Becky and Heather Robinson -- knowing how much I love Golden Spoon and dropping by when I'm sure all my other friends are tired of doing nice things for me

34. Wendi -- many many icees were consumed due to her bringing by a giant box of otter pops. Both by me and by a very short and demanding male in our family who discovered if you threw them hard enough they would split in two.

35. My parents -- calling and checking in, even from work

36. My sister -- listening to me whine, laughing at me when I was totally drugged up and offering to blend up food and feed it to me. Only you could make being sick be so fun.

And of course there were even more nice messages and offers to help on facebook (Molly, Meredith, Kris. . . all my sweet friends who live far away). I think I'd overload this post if I started listing all of those. And I forgot LUKE! Oh who am I kidding -- he made this really hard and long by always trying to steal my icees or trying to drinking my water while I yelled, "I'M CONTAGIOUS!" He wouldn't let me watch any good TV and would jump on me if I fell asleep. And of course running out the door and down the street so far I had to get in the car to get him back, where the women at the park eyed me as I tried to explain that when you're really really sick you don't have to wear a bra or do your hair after you shower.

But seriously, I am overwhelmed with gratitude and I don't even know how to repay all of you. How do I even begin to say thank you? It's amazing how many people can touch your life in so many little ways. You all make my life better. Thank you for being my friends and I only hope I can brighten your day as much as you have brightened mine.

As always when you're going through something rough, you sit back and think, "What on earth is Heavenly Father trying to teach me?" And I think he taught me a lot about service. That it doesn't have to be huge, it can be a small little text or call. And you don't have to be pre-approved. Just showing up with something for them or theirir family will still brighten their day. I didn't know what I needed, but my friends did. I love you all!!