Life As I Know It, From My Green Chair

Friday I was talking to a friend on the phone and our conversation led to my headaches.  She suffers from headaches also, and asked if I thought I had a sinus infection or something. I told her I had considered it, but I have had lots of sinus infections through the years and am always symptomatic with sinus drainage, etc.  and I had none of that.  I would soon eat those words...but we'll get back to that.

Friday evening was absolutely wonderful!!  We had one of those evenings where I felt "young again" - footloose and fancy free for a few hours, like when my husband and I were first married!  My parents picked up the kids in time to take them to dinner, but over an hour and a half before we were leaving soooo (are you other moms out there ready for this) I.got.to.take.my.time.getting.ready.all.by.myself.

I know.  Craaazzy stuff right there.

I actually soaked in a hot bath and put hot rollers in my hair (of course I sort of had to do that because of my broken flat iron, but still) and didn't rush doing my makeup.  I was ready with time to spare and felt calm and relaxed for a night out with my husband and friends.  I know, sounds like a dream!!

I wore denim and lace which is simply the perfect combination sometimes, don't you think?!  Contrast.  I love that.

My date was looking mighty handsome, I must say!!

We left a quiet, empty house and had the most fabulous night out with our sweet friends - and talked about our kids the whole time, of course! Well, not the whole time.  But a lot of the time, because that's just what you do!  Because while footloose and fancy free is fantastic for an evening, you wouldn't trade it in a million years for all the chaos and real stuff of life with those kids! Oh, we laughed and talked and shared stories and that salad I told you about was perfectly fresh and delicious and the steak we shared was cooked just how we like it.

We didn't even get home until almost midnight. Call the cops people, something crazy is going on!  I love date nights!  We slept in and I woke up with my nose running like a faucet.  Not a drippy faucet, like a faucet someone turned on too hard and broke the handle so they can't stop it from pouring.

So much for not being symptomatic.

I was not going to let it ruin my day though because we had plans for the evening.  So I made my (looong) Walmart run at the end of which I called my husband and told him that yes, I was still alive this place is just a total madhouse and by the way, I think I have a fever.

And I did.

But I had to get my daughter ready for something very special - her first Daddy/Daughter dance!!  She was going with her Daddy and her very best friend and her Daddy, and had been anticipating this for weeks!  She wore the dress my mom got her to be a flower girl back in December, but we got her some new accessories.  I mean, what girl doesn't like new accessories?!  And I also picked this up at Walmart.

I saw it and immediately remembered thinking it was the best stuff ever when I was a little girl, and feeling so grown up using it.  Well, let's just say history is repeating itself.  This bottle has been well used in the past two days!  Madi loves it! Did any of you use Love's Baby Soft years ago?  The fragrance takes me right back to childhood in the 80's!

I was able to get Madi ready and see them off.  They looked so beautiful and spiffy!  I loved how I caught my daughter looking at her reflection in our glass door...it's fun to feel like a princess every once in awhile!

Then my friend and her son stayed at our house while we waited for the gang to come back from the dance. I had been looking forward to some girl time with Nanette, and felt so bad because I know I wasn't fun company!  I ate chicken broth and sat in the recliner and by the time they left my fever was over 101 and I was miserable.

However...I am happy to report that our dance attendees did the Cha Cha Slide, the Cupid Shuffle, and the Chicken Dance!  The girls came back beaming and I think a huge memory was made.  There is nothing like the love between a Daddy and a little girl.

My awesome husband tucked everyone including me in, and I went to bed shivering under a layer of blankets with a fever near 102.  I know it broke sometime in the night because I woke up with my hair and pillowcase soaking, but it was back in the morning and started climbing again this afternoon until I attacked it with Ibuprofen.  And I have been rapidly making my way through a giant box of Kleenex.

So sadly I missed church and my kids came home excited with all sorts of Valentine's crafts from their classes and my son said he had one "teeny, tiny wittle probwem" but other than he was good and that it was a great morning.  Hmm...wonder what that means?!

I am hoping I feel lots better tomorrow.  I don't want to be sick on Valentine's Day. I love holidays.  And last year, two days before Valentine's Day I had my first "routine" mammogram (starting young because my mom had premenopausal breast cancer) and it turned into diagnostic mammograms, an ultrasound, and a biopsy all on the same day.  So last Valentine's Day/Weekend I was sore and waiting, though calm thanks to God's lavish grace.  I was hoping this year would be uneventful and healthy.  And maybe it will be.  If not, we'll adapt, just like last year.  Plans can wait.  If there's anything God has been teaching me the past few years, it's that our plans don't always work out how we think they will, and sometimes He works through mysteries and confusion and unraveling plans and unexpected challenges as we in our brokenness become more dependent on Him.

So that's life as I know it on this Sunday evening.  I hope that wherever you sit as you read this post, God's love and grace is a part of your heart, no matter what life as you know it currently is.  Because He is there, and just like my daughter did with my husband last night, you can twirl around in His arms through the good, the bad, and everything in between.

Much Love This Night Before Valentine's Day,

Jennifer