So, last week when I slipped on the ice while checking the mail, cracked my knee open on the driveway and bled all over my "nicer" pants, I had no inkling that it was going to get worse.
So much worse....
That was Tuesday morning. Just 10 hours before this, on Monday afternoon, we had dropped Greg off at the airport for an overnight to Petersburg and I realized that we never checked the mail Monday.
Good news? No bills.
The reason we forgot to check the mail in the first place was because we were shopping like fools on Monday afternoon (after the airport drop and run) and just plumb forgot about ballet lessons for Amelia! I was so upset with myself for forgetting her weekly lesson that we just went home and fumed a little. And put away groceries for hours. Luckily, Amelia was a little under the weather so we probably shouldn't have been at rehearsal anyway, right?
Back to Tuesday morning:
Amelia now has a temp of about 100 and a croup-y cough. She cannot go to preschool, which is a huge bummer for her - it was "pancakes and pj's day" and she really wanted to go. Alas, we ended up dragging her kicking and screaming to the pool instead. (Yes, literally. When Dad's away, it's no holds barred at our place.)
Anyway, shortly after arriving (late) at Gwen's swimming lessons, I was helping a very polite little naked stranger turn on the showers after her lesson ("Excuse me, Lady. Can you help me turn on the shower? I'm short and my dad can't come in here because he's a boy."), and somehow (I still cannot figure this out) I jabbed myself on the upper lip with my own thumbnail. I then had to visit with the other homeschool moms for about an hour during Gwen's lesson while holding a really gross bloody paper towel against my lip since the dang thing would not quit gushing! I got sick to my stomach from swallowing so much while I was trying to keep hydrated in case I passed out from excessive blood loss. Ewww.
Meanwhile, Amelia was crouping away on the rest of the homeschoolers.
Good news? Gwen is a great swimmer! She is doing just fantastic with her lessons and progress! We are so proud of her and she has come such a long way in such an amazingly short time. Awesome!
Since there was seriously no pacifying the sick kid, after swimming we raced out to the preschool to catch the end of the festivities and see all the other kiddos in their jammies. We played Duck, Duck, Goose and even got to have one leftover hotcake for the road. Score!
After piling out of there with our contagions, the three of us girls tooled around looking for a new place to rent. There is nothing in the paper or online, so I figured we would just scour the (nice) neighborhoods looking for "for rent" signs. After about 45 minutes of looking, counting dogs and broken-down autos, and finding people we know, the girls started to get cranky and hungry so we headed home, at which point Gwen asked innocently if Daddy would be there when we get back to the house.
Huh.
It's 12:37.
We were supposed to pick Daddy up from the airport at noon. Oopsie!
Good news? He was still standing there waiting when we screeched up (and over) the curb at the aiport, and had not stormed off walking the several miles back to work. Whew! Dodged a bullet there. Of course, as soon as the truck door opened, both girls had to tell Daddy how Mommy totally forgot all about him! Thanks, ladies!
What? And I was supposed to bring lunch for Dad?!
If you're keeping track, you'll already know that in my little play-by-play of last week, it's only Tuesday at about 12:45pm....
There were lots more crazy things in there (animal shelter closed for mysterious reasons only moments before we were to volunteer our regular, weekly shift), and by Friday the truck was broke down on the side of the road and we were having our incredible taxi adventure!
Good news? It was full daylight and was not raining when we had to walk to the nearest phone. (Being low-tech really has it's disadvantages.) Other good news was that Greg was with us and we all had warm clothes on for the hike.
More good news? Our idiot landlord has screwed things up enough with the prospective buyers that the deal is off and it's unlikely the house will be sold at this time. Or ever.
Plus, some nice people from church have let us borrow their car for as long as we need it.
Plus, the mechanic just called and we can pick up the truck and it's brand new shiny alternator this evening.
Yet, even though these are some truly incredible blessings, I can't help but fleetingly think of the fact that one week from today, I will turn 41 years old.
Just when I thought the streak was over.
