This line from my childhood seems appropriate as I look at my family; particularly, my baby girl. She's a walking fool! She actually kind of waddles in a bowlegged kind of way. We wondered when she would decide to move vertically. With her it is not a question of ability- but motive. One day at 16 months she was ready, and BAM! My baby grew up. It's just a bit odd to look around and see this tiny little doll baby walking with the big boys.
We are all sick. It started with one and then it went down like dominoes. I'm not sure what to call it- maybe just the just leave me here to rot virus. I can't even muster up the energy to take us to the doctor. So I have to diagnose myself. Symptoms are: fever, cough, runny nose, sinus pressure, ear aches, body aches, irritability, loss of appetite, sour throat, excess mucus, lethargy, and overall bad attitude. I think that covers it. We are treating with vapor rub (on feet too!), Ibuprofen, saline, triaminic, orange juice, Diego, peppermint tea, and Leave it to Beaver. So far only one recovery. Seth was able to come through to the other side and even went to school today, after a full 6 days of sickness. So I figure we have another three weeks to go before we can all face the day snot free. So far 2008 makes my head hurt.
I don't know how I got it. I was so careful, avoiding any contamination from anyone else who had it. I washed my hands after even coming into contact with the idea. I even was on a strict daily treatment. And I still caught the disease. I am now a Grey's Anatomy junkie. I am addicted. I thought not having a television would keep me from it- but no- thanks to the blasted collection of the series that you can buy (or borrow from a friend in my case) I'm hooked. I can't even watch just one episode at a time. I watch the entire season! Now the other symptoms are becoming apparent: the bags under my eyes from staying up all night watching, the ever increasing feeling that I know and understand the practice of medicine and surgery, the haunting feeling that my new friends are around me all the time (fictional characters do not exist!), and the intense desire to lock my children away so that I can watch more without corrupting their young minds. Help me! I'm so very sick. I'm currently lost in the middle of season 3. There is a long road of healing in store for me. 
Our family is changing. It's not something I can see every day - just all of a sudden I woke up this morning and saw that my kids are bigger, brighter, and baby free. We have spare baby suits handy, just in case; but I'm pretty sure they won't go backwards. My gang is moving forward and growing up. It is truly an amazing thing to look back and see the milestones already sped past. I'm not ready for teenagers- but I hear that comes up on you pretty fast, whether you're ready or not.
Until I can manage the time, money and ambition for a professional family picture- this one will have to do.
This whole crazy blogness is spreading. My sister and college room-mate just caught the disease. Check them out :
Megan Keck
Cyndi Selim
She has the cutest video that every mom must see- just to make your day brighter
I'm back! So I took a short sabbatical- 6 blog free weeks. I may have lost all my readers, but my sanity is intact. Why is it that the holidays are so very crazy? I knew that if I sat down for two minutes, then I'd be lost. Now that is passed, school has started and I can finally enjoy Peace on Earth, (at least my acre of it).
We have been so busy that I haven't even been reading blogs. I have fallen off the planet- completely lost. Wow- you guys are busy! What a wonderful thing to have friends and to be able to share in their triumphs and losses through the computer. If you can't be there with them, at least you are thinking, laughing, praying with them at home.
I don't have a lot to report- the past 6 weeks are a little blurry. We have been fighting illness, time, and rodents- yes, rodents. We found traces of what appears to be a very evil, vindictive rat in our minivan. We set every trap known to man, and baited it with endless options to appeal to the vermin appetite. He responded with severing my driver's side seat belt in half and decapitating two beloved stuffed animals. Like I said- pure evil. I accidentally left a neck wrap that was filled with flax seeds in van overnight. Inevitably, the plague-carrying, sewer-dweller chewed the neck wrap, feasting on flax seeds. So now his traces are everywhere and he has a healthy heart. Now he will never die! I just wanted to drive the entire vehicle into a lake and watch it sink. Instead... we called an exterminator. We believe we are now rodent free- but I live in constant fear. I'll never feel safe in that car again. I am rerouting all spending to the rat-free car fund. Currently taking donations in the form of cats- mean ones.
I do love vacations. It's so good to have a husband around, and having an excuse to stay in your pajamas all day- but.... I'm so grateful to get back into a routine. I need a set schedule and so do the little people. Hope 2008 finds you all hopeful and happy. We all deserve a really great year. 
