Home Sick

Yuck. I am the worst patient a nurse could treat. The worst! I rarely get sick and especially sick enough to stop my "to-do" list and hit the couch for a morning. I don't like to take medicine but I hate to just lay around and rest and recoup as anyone would tell me I should do. It all started this weekend with a little sniffle and it has now blown into a full proportion coughing,sneezing, itching, sore throat, sore body, throbbing head kinda sick! Yuck yuck yuck. So, my big question is about baby. Is baby sick if I am sick? He sure has been wiggling alot the last few days. I hope those aren't coughs or sneezes. And not only did I not really like to turn quickly to medicine before I was with child in belly now - even more so! What if he gets addicted? I would hate to hurt him and me not be able to explain to him what is going on in there.

Do you have any home remedies you swear by? I would try anything right now! Poor Amos just lays beside me while I cough and sneeze and hack away and I know he wants to help if he could. I love to have him here when I am sick or sad or lonely. What a perfect friend!

Oh, yesterday I did go to Teavana in the mall during my break. My favorite mall companion who works in the store next to where I work is always giving me health advise. He started doing this when he saw me in the Starbucks line and then saw my bulging belly. I like him so I welcome his opinion (but I sure hate it when people who don't know me give me their opinion walking through the mall. 'Excuse me ma'am, should you be walking the mall when you are pregnant?" "I wouldn't wear jeans if I were you.....they'll harm your baby." "Oh my, I NEVER drank coffee when I was pregnant!" For real, I get these comments all day long and I just smile and drink my latte!) Anyway, my buddy, Tion, tells me I should check out the Peppermint and "To LIfe" tea at Teavana in the mall. I have never thought much of Teavana. They always offer me a sample when I walk by and I graciously decline thinking all those teas and all the tea paraphernalia are for people with dreadlocks who don't believe in make-up. Sorry, it's just my thought. I may be a slight naturalist but certainly not an extremist. Sure enough, as I took my first steps in to my soon to be favorite place - all of the workers had dreadlocks and had most certainly forgot to wear make up but it didn't matter! The smells took over my nostrils and my lungs and before even sipping everything seemed to open up. I could breathe again and slowly as I sipped on my new favorite thing my sore throat began to wane. I ended up making two stops yesterday and basically drinking a whole kettle of tea! Next time you walk by try a sample of the tea of the day. I may venture out of my cave today just for this treat to my throat. (Unless, honey, do you want to bring me one???? Honey, do you even read this thing? )

I wish I had soft tissues for my nose. Never again will I buy cheap toilet paper! In honor of my nose and this cold I vow to NEVER again buy the cheapest toilet paper on the aisle. Maybe a bath will help......

Holidays, hot shoes, elastic waisted pants

The man of the house and I enjoyed a splendid weekend all around the city. We did. We love this about Atlanta. We spent Friday night in the heart of Buckhead eating a yummy dinner with friends. Saturday we were in Roswell shopping for furniture and within 30 minutes we were on the city's quiet but confident Westside enjoying some spicy Mexican food for cupid's holiday. Sunday we ventured south of the airport to Scott's Antique Market to find a find. We came away with no finds but we still had a good time....walking around and imagining the furniture we will have in a house one day. Brad says he feels defeated when we go to buy furniture and we come home empty handed.....2 days in a row! I say we are empowered because we didn't buy something on a whim that we didn't love. We both agree that we want to pick furniture for the baby's room that we will love forever and use throughout our house. Even if we add one piece at a time we are happy with our strategy.

Anyway, after hitting all corners of the city over the weekend we then ventured up to one of my favorite places, Kennesaw Mountain, yesterday for a long hike. Ahhh.......we love our past Presidents and their corporate holiday! The air was a little cooler than we had thought which ended up serving as a perfect reminder of the change of season that is to come....soon! And since I was breathing so heavy the cold air filled my lungs the whole time and reminded me, too, of my growing state of baby weight gain. I hiked this hike with Charlsie a few months ago with no trouble but this time I was a huffing-puffing mess! Amos sprinted and hopped and leaped and traversed the whole mountain. He was one happy hiker and completely oblivious to my apparent change in activity level! As we were hiking up the first little mountain I remembered when I was a single girl looking around at boys that I might like to like and I wondered if I would ever find someone who wanted to be outside ALL THE TIME! I love being outside in the Georgia weather. At the Terrace the girls and I would talk on the phone, read, study or nap on our front lawn. I don't think our neighbors thought highly of our outdoor activity in the center of our posh Buckhead neighborhood. We didn't care and many an afternoon were wasted away again on a big blanket near the shady tree. But I smiled as we hiked, knowing God certainly does love me because he gave me Brad and Brad, too, LOVES the outdoors! I love seeing him come alive on the trails. We estimate that we walked 10,000 steps. I love numbers and I love hitting the numbers that I want so I was really happy with 10,000 steps. Overall, we had such a perfect long holiday weekend. Oh, and baby likes to hike, too. I know it. He hasn't stopped beating me up ever since we left the trails. What a fun outing this will be in a few months with a little guy on Brad's back and a little higher temperatures.

And on other notes I want some really tall black patten leather wedge shoes. I am not sure if I picture them with a peep toe or a closed toe. I have yet to see these shoes but I imagined them last week and I can't stop looking for them wherever I go. Friday, in preparation for a hot Valentines date with my valentine I went searching for these alluring shoes that I just know are out there. I pranced around the department store in my workout clothes and tall black shoes just imagining the day when I get my body back. I don't want it to happen sooner than it should but it sure is a test to just sit and watch your body contort without anyway to stop it! But shoes to me are the answer. I found some hot, tall shoes (not quite what I was looking for but close) and then made the mistake of asking the salesman what he thought of pregnant women in 4 inch heels. He was obviously against my purchase so I left, disgruntled and frumpy. Nonetheless, I have yet to find my shoes that are going to allow me to feel attractive even as my bellow grows out past my toes. Mission continued.....

So speaking of changes.....we caved and bought our first pair of discounted maternity jeans. I have yet to buy any maternity apparel - period - and I was very proud of that! Mama had given me a few pieces which had come so handy but atleast I hadn't added any elastic banded craziness to my wardrobe. Until this joyous weekend when Brad gifted me with a pair of dark denim jeans with a thick elastic band around my waist for V-day. And I LOVE THEM! What a difference elastic makes. I can bend, squat, jump and touch my toes with ease. I can eat, sit, lay, twist and leap. My waste is so happy! I don't even care what they look like (though he did a great job picking them out) - I am just thrilled to have given in to this maternity thing against all my previous intentions. Yay for elastic waste bands, 4 inch heels and a weekend of holidays!

I confess. I ignored the phonecall.

My phone rang this morning at 7:26a.m. I was awake and making Brad's lunch for the day. I completely ignored the ring and carried on with my perfect turkey sandwich. You see, I am a substitute teacher. I am a substitute teacher for middle school kids. I am also with child and for some reason since being with child my patience has shortened dramatically. There is no excuse for this behavior but atleast I know it is true and I am aware. The last possible thing that I wanted to do today was go suck up to 7th graders to get them to like me. There is no line when it comes to middle schoolers. I have learned though my minimal experience that you either have to be the old mean lady with your hair in a bun who enforces silence at all times or you get walked all over. My youthfulness and charm are only an invitation for them to go buck wild.....sit on the cabinets, rearrange the room, talk out at all times, steal things from other peers....you name it. And today I just didn't have it in me to even attempt. This weekend wore me out with 2 days of work and constant activity surrounding the work hours. Then yesterday I taught a sculpt class and have yet to recover from the sleepless night and 5:15a.m. alarm. So I just ignored the call. I sort of feel guilty because I have nothing on my calendar today but I just didn't want to do it and I guess that is where I am lucky. Yes, we certainly need the minimal paycheck and I know my partner likes when I am busy and contribute but it wasn't worth the $50 to eat watery-lunchroom-tomato soup today and have to pee pee out of a short-little people toilet. I am going to enjoy this day of freedom. Nearly two months ago I had free days like this everyday and I thought nothing of them. Now after a few months of 4 part time jobs I LOVE these days! I love the Ellen Degeneres show at 5pm as I get dinner ready. I love taking Mr. Amos on 2 or 3 walks a day. I love cleaning and sorting and arranging and organizing and I love making a list just so I can check off the things that I have done. So that is what I will do today. I am free for lunch, too, if you care to meet me. But this is a confession - I ignored the phone call and it feels so good! It's about time I stop committing to things that make my stomach turn. I am slowly slowly learning how to say NO and how to choose (when I have the ability to) what is best for me. Honestly, had I picked up the phone - I would have only said YES to the sweet little man because I would have wanted him to think well of me. For some reason it's like I want to be everybody's "everything." But today I am a new me and I ignored the call and though I sort of want to call the sweet man and give him a really good, emotion stirring excuse - I am just not going to call back. I can not be everything to everyone and this is day one of me practicing this theory.....and it feels sooooo good!

When you can't sleep....

You stop staring at the ceiling and counting the cars pass by and you find funny things on the internet and feel like you are not all alone in this world. Please Gladys, won't you be my neighbor?




Seriously, I was awakened at 3:53am by a passer-byer on the sidewalk. It is too cold to be out on the sidewalk walking at this hour anyway but this hulligan was just singin away - loud! I scurried to the window to make sure the friendly-early-mornin-stroller wasn't on our patio which is where the he sounded. Nope, he was just walking by waking up the poor expectant women who can't sleep anyway. I crawled back in bed and began to stare at the ceiling as I usually do when awakened at the wrong time. Something about the hormones swimming around but I can not go back to sleep these days once I am awake. I have learned that is just best to get up and do something else and try to sleep later if I get a chance.

I've had breakfast twice and finished a book. I have opened our taxes hoping to find a miraculous "WE OWE YOU $X,XXX.XX" but our status still hasn't changed. I've cleaned the guest bathroom and organized my calendar. I just need a cure for these sleepless nights! Is this just preparation for what is to come? Is my body just telling me it is rested so - Get up! The worst part about wakening in the middle of the night is my tummy. It craves things that it shouldn't crave at such hours....today it was a blueberry waffle but yesterday it was a Flinstone's push-up pop....you know the ones you ate as a kid that taste like an orange creamcicle? Delish.

Okay, I hope you slept better than I did. Happy cold Thursday!

Great sermon for YOU!

Put this on while you fold the laundry today or while you are making supper. I think you'll be glad that you did. As for me, I am going back to sleep. I don't sleep at night because I dream crazy pregnancy dreams all night and wake up feeling exhausted rather than rested. Help! So, back to bed and then off to my job at the mall. I love helping women try on dresses at the mall! Who wouldn't enjoy helping women feel beautiful?

Enjoy.

Balanced - Managing your Expenses.