We began our week without Patrick, Caleb, Sarah and Miles with a bang! We decided to clean today and play the rest of the week. We set a timer for 10 minutes and chose a room. We all worked together until the timer beeped and then chose another room. For each room they completed they earned 5 minutes of Wii time for the afternoon. We cleaned 8 rooms this way and they were all busy little helpers. It was a fun morning.
Things I learned as we cleaned.
*Cooper likes simple errand tasks best so he became official delivery boy of things we found in the wrong rooms.
*Mackenzie is of course helpful with anything she is assigned... except perhaps keeping Emerson happy... but that might have something to do with him wanting me and I was not taking him. She did finally just take him to the other room to play.
*Duncan, as we were cleaning the bathroom commented, "I think I like cleaning the toilets the best!" We discussed what he liked about it. He wasn't a fan of tidying up things but actually cleaning and scrubbing was fun. I gave that boy a dust cloth, broom and a wet rag!
*Whittaker likes to do anything Derek is doing. They became a team.
*Derek is in my opinion the most cheerful worker in the house. We awarded him the Top Dog Happy Cleaner award when we were finished. While Derek was working alongside of me we chatted. I learned a LOT. He began one of our conversations with,
"You know what Nova. I like you now. Sometimes I don't want to come to your house because I didn't know if I liked you but I will remember now that I do like you. You are nice to me."
Wow! He didn't know if he liked me? (What is not to like?) Cleaning my bathroom created a bond between us that caused him to like me!
Once we completed our cleaning for the day we headed to lunch to celebrate! Of course I already posted how our celebratory lunch went ... SWAT!
We returned home, shaken and dismayed at society. The boys took advantage of all their earned minutes on the Wii, Kenzie and I began a fun craft project and Emerson so cooperative now, took a 4 hour nap.
I was feeling good that we could survive the week without the older kids. I will no longer refer to them as my helpers, I have dandy helpers here with me still!
As the afternoon came to an end and we were discussing dinner and evening plans we decided a movie night would be in order!! We would head to the library and pick out a new movie. We had plenty of leftovers so dinner wouldn't take long. I told them we would leave as soon as I had finished walking on the treadmill with my friend.
Plans change very quickly sometimes. As I began walking on the treadmill, I began to feel light headed, then a little queasy. I wasn't increasing my speed as I normally do, instead I felt like quitting. I walked at a slow pace as long as I could stand it and then I made a dash for the bathroom. I was sick. It was so sudden. We had had a fun filled, active day, how could I be so violently ill so suddenly!? No time to question it... I continued to be ill for the next 2.5 hours. Amber took all 6 of the kids home with her and sent me to bed. I went willingly. I only woke when the phone rang and she was bringing them home again. I continued to be ill for about 1.5 more hours. She tucked each of the kids in and was still here when Duncan began his run to the bathroom. The flu was hitting in full force.
By morning, both Duncan and I are well again. A little tired and sluggish but no longer living by the porcelain pot. Whittaker and Emerson appear to have escaped the bug. A phone call mid morning notified us that both Caleb and Miles had begun a trek of their own into the woods around 3am. They were feeling better but Miles it would seem was showing signs that he had bells palsy now. The Dr. at the clinic at camp was a little surprised that my response to such a diagnosis was... "I guess it's his turn. He'll be fine. Let him rest." I explained that we are no strangers to Bells Palsy and I knew there was nothing he could do for him and that Miles wouldn't be contagious to anyone from the palsy and would be so sad to miss his merit badge classes. I suggested that he find his brother Caleb at the camp who has had the palsy twice and have him hang around with Miles for the day. The Dr. suggested that I come and pick him up so the rest of the camp doesn't become ill as well. We are at an impass.... I felt like the exposure to camp has already occurred and sending him home won't change that. I am waiting to hear back on the decision. I may be going for a long drive today.
Now I wonder if I should call and warn Sarah's camp.
Our fun plans for today are shot. I assured the boys we would not cancel all our activities, just postpone them until we could enjoy them more.
