No Time for Illness

We've had a very busy week and it seems that my body and mind can take no more. Yes, folks even though I've had the flu shot and I dutifully take my vitamins each day...I've come down with something. A stomach something. And it's not fun.

Even though I'm feeling icky and my tummy hurts something fierce, I'm going to take the time to document our Christmas week so that I'll remember it next year.

We started off the week at my parent's house, Monday night. My grandparents came, a yummy meal was eaten, gifts were exchanged and we watched the Packers lose. Again.

Mark had off the rest of the week and I worked Monday and Tuesday and just till noon on Wednesday. On Christmas Eve (Wednesday night) we tromped over to Mark's parent's house for the annual festivities. The house seemed a bit emptier with several of the older nieces and nephews off doing their own thing...but still nearly 40 adults and little ones crammed my mother and father-in-law's house. It as loads of fun as usual. (See my last post "Christmas Funnies.")

We left there around 11 p.m. and drove around town a bit to look at the Christmas lights before heading to midnight mass. It was peaceful and inspiring as always.

We slept in on Christmas morning as we really didn't have much else to do. We decided to forego presents for each other this year in lieu of our new house, so without gifts to open sleeping till 10:30 a.m. seemed like a great idea. Around 11:30 a.m. we bundled up and headed to my aunt's house to gather with my dad's side of the family for a meal and gift exchange.

I was thrilled to receive the book "Multiple Blessings" by Jon and Kate Gosselin. It's an amazing book and delves into their infertility struggles and other neat aspects of their lives that isn't touched by the film crews.

We stayed out till 9 p.m. then went home and watched a movie together. Yesterday (Friday) we headed to the big city for what we thought was an arranged meeting with our mortgage broker. He, however, had his days mixed up and instead of meeting with us and getting things going with our loan, decided a Christmas party was more up his alley. We were not impressed, to say the least and let him know our disappointment and anger. He apologized and things will be fine...meaning he is going to do all the extra work because it's his fault we didn't meet. What a putz.

It's ok though...the day wasn't completely lost. We used a gift card we'd received in one of our Christmas exchanges to try out...HuHot! It was delicious...a first time for both of us! We we're really that impressed with the crowd or the fact that we waiting approximately 15 min in line to get to the grill...but overall the experience and the food were great.

After HuHot we headed to Big Lots so I could do my yearly stock-up on wrapping paper. If you aren't in the secret Big Lots club, you wouldn't know about their amazing wrapping paper deals in the days following Christmas. Ok, ok I'll tell you. They sell all their wrapping paper for $1. Seriously. The Peanuts wrapping paper I saw in Wal-Mart priced at $4.99 was waiting for me to snatch it up for a $1 at Big Lots.

I always stock up and buy way more than I think I'll ever need, because I always end up needing it. Before yesterday's purchase, I was down to a 2 foot by 2 foot square of wrapping paper. That's all I had left!

After our mini-shopping spree (that's all we bought...yay us!) we headed to the theater to treat ourselves to a movie. We saw Marley & Me! It was just the cutest, most inspiring, most make-you-cry-at-the-end movie I've ever seen. Loved it! I was pleased as punch that hubby sprung for popcorn and a soda too!

We came home and just sorta hung out on the couch because by that time my tummy was already signaling that something was wrong. At first I thought it was the food from HuHot...you know that my tummy wasn't digesting something properly. But, after thinking about the situation, I remembered the icky Christmas vomiting moment my cousin's young son had at my aunt's house. Yup...he had the flu. And I'm pretty sure that's what I've got.

Today has been a pretty lazy day for me. It's 4 p.m. and I'm feeling well enough to sit in the upright position for more than 5 minutes at a time. Ugh. To top it off Mark and I got into a huge fight this morning when he -get this- accused me of pretending to be sick!

Can you actually believe he would say something so cold? Me either. Till I heard it with my own ears. As I was dry heaving in the waste basket. And running a 104 fever.

Don't worry...I set him straight. I simply reminded him of the vows we took not so very long again...you know the part about "in sickness and in health." Yeah, I told him he'd better snap out of his funk, apologize, and get me some 7Up before I really got mad.

He apologized later and told me he was just disappointed because he knew we'd have to cancel our plans for tonight. I told him that while I was also sad to cancel, I hoped he remembered the many sacrifices I've given up for him over the years...including the time I rushed him the emergency room and stayed up with him all night, holding his hand the time we thought he was having a gall bladder attack.

We talked for a long time and I shared with him my concerns about our plans for having a family when he couldn't even prove to me that he'd be there to support me during a simple bout with the flu. I asked him how he thought he'd handle my morning sickness, the aches and pains of pregnancy, and the agony of delivery not to mention the zillions of unpredictable things babies encompass. I told him I was very disappointed in him, but more-so in myself because I've obviously set low expectations of him.

Mark was really upset during our discussion and felt horrible that he'd let me down. He apologized again and again and promised to make it up to me; to prove that he could be there for me. And he has...well until a few mintues ago when he looked at me with puppy dog eyes and asked to head to a local bar to watch the Badger Game with Randy.

So now I'm home alone...with no one to bring me crackers and 7Up. But at least I've got control of the remote and a promise from my husband to remember those vows and try a little harder to be there for me. That's all a girl can ask right?

I hope all you faithful readers have had a very blessed holiday! I'll try to work on adding a few festive pictures tomorrow...in the event that I'm feeling better. Till then...g'nite!