It wasn't all bad, part II.

Around 7:30am, Addie popped her head up and asked to "go downstairs and get vitamins and eat breakfast". After an inspection of the towel and not seeing anything "out of the ordinary", I took her to the kitchen and made her a piece of toast she ate with gusto. When Randy wasn't home by nine (usually he's home by 8:15am or so), I knew for sure there had been a fire. The other kids seemed to be doing awesome and the weather forecast was for seventy degrees as a high that day (this is January in the midwest, unbelievable!). Randy did finally make it home and after sharing the story of the house fire, went upstairs and crawled into bed to recoup a bit.

Deep breath. Randy was home safe and all the kids were well. Thank you Jesus!

By mid-morning I had recruited the kids to help rake the rest of leaves from our yard and "man" the bottom of the ladder while cleaned out the gutters (something Randy was going to do, but with his great need for sleep, I filled in). We worked steadily as the sun continued to warm us and just after lunch we finished the entire yard. The kids spent the rest of that beautiful day playing and running through the yard. Randy finally woke and finished the back gutters that I couldn't reach, we grilled burgers and had a relaxing evening.

Friday, New Year's Eve, 6am. Ashlynn is at my bedside looking very pale.

Uh-oh.

She spent all morning on the couch trying desperately not to give in to the feeling in her stomach, but mom made a big mistake. I just needed to make a quick bank deposit, you know, the one I should have made the day before, when Randy was home, when all of the kids didn't have to pile into the car and go.

When no one was sick.

Ashlynn reluctantly got in and I gave her a bowl, towel and strict instructions to use them if necessary. Once I turned on the car I was reminded I also needed gas. Really bad. Let's just say the bumps and smells and turns made good on why I gave the instructions and the above items became absolutely necessary. We returned home as quickly as possible and I apologized profusely all the way.

Time out.

Usually, if I apologize to Ashlynn like crazy, she is all over me, "don't worry mom, it's totally ok. Stop saying sorry everything is fine, it's no problem!" The girl didn't utter one such word to me in the car.

I am the worst mom ever. And the girl must really feel lousy.

The rest of her day was spent on the couch looking very green and willing herself to never use the bowl again. She also wished daddy wasn't at work so she had someone to cuddle her full-time since I was up and down taking care of the other kids too. By 10:30pm, I tucked her into the make-shift palette on my side of the bed and climbed into bed myself, who needed to see the ball drop anyway?

3am, New Year's Day. I woke to terrible pain in my stomach. No, no, no, not me. Reasoning it must have been the brownies I ate way too much of the night before, I tried to go back to sleep. After two hours and finally moving to the bathroom floor, I prayed and asked (*begged*) Jesus to just let it out and relieve my pain.

He answered.


To be continued......