is it too early in the year to take a mulligan?

Oh, this WEEK. It's been rough. I was sick with that cold at the end of last week, and then mid-week this week, I got strep throat. But I didn't just get the "wow, it feels like I've been swallowing glass, my throat is so sore" version of strep. Oh no. I got the version that comes with EVERY SINGLE POSSIBLE SYMPTOM you see on all the medical web pages. Fever. Chills. Fatigue. General malaise. Headache. Body aches. And, of course, the swallowed-glass sore throat.

Guess what else I had this week? My period, and the cramps and yuckiness that come with it. Because that's just the kind of cruel joke the universe likes to pull.

Possibly the worst part of it, though, was not seeing the boys. I came home on Wednesday afternoon and didn't see Andrew and Will until last night. It was torture. I felt so miserable and I just wanted to see their sweet faces and hear their sweet voices, but I knew I was contagious, and there was no way I wanted them to feel the way that I felt. Joe handled everything while I was curled in a ball of misery in bed: the daycare drop-off and pick-ups. Dinner. Dishes. Packing lunches. Baths and stories and cuddles and bedtime. I was completely out of commission and he kept our household up and running. I was trying to thank him for that this morning, and I couldn't even do it without crying. I am so thankful for him, for the way he took care of our sons (and me!) when I couldn't. He is such an amazing husband and father that words simply aren't enough.They're just not. I have some nice things planned for him when I'm feeling completely better, including an entire week of his favorite meals next week and some other things that aren't bloggable (oh come on, we're married. I'm allowed).

Anyway, I went to the doctor yesterday morning and I'm on an antibiotic now, and I'm feeling a lot better. The doctor said it's not really common to see strep in an adult, and even less common to see it present with the litany of symptoms I had. And this is the second time I've had it in two years (it wasn't this bad the last time, though). I worked a half-day today, but my managers were so impressed with the fact that I came in at all that they practically forced me to leave early. I graciously accepted, so I could come home and relieve Joe, who worked last night and was staying up with Will -- who was home from daycare today because he was complaining that  his head hurt this morning. Everything was going fine this afternoon until I noticed Will's hands -- they were super cold and red, with white splotches/bumps/blisters all over them. I was...slightly freaked out. I called our pediatrician immediately and she said she suspected it was just because his hands were cold, and that I should give him a warm bath and call her back if his hands weren't better in 45 minutes. The bath cleared them up, but I still think it was strange -- I've never heard of a kid getting a rash like that when his hands were cold.

While I was giving Will a bath, the daycare called: Andrew's ear was leaking all kinds of disgusting fluid. Apparently, he had an ear infection, and his eardrum ruptured? Or something? I have no clue, because he hasn't once complained of pain in his ear.

Of course both of these events would happen at the same time, on a Friday afternoon. Thankfully, both situations had easy resolutions: Will's hands were just cold, and we already have drops on hand for Andrew's ear.

The week did end on a high note, though. I called uncle and ordered pizza for dinner, and while we were waiting for the delivery guy to arrive, Andrew told me, "I'm gonna give the pizza maker [what he calls the delivery guy] a BIG HUG!" When the pizza arrived, I told the delivery guy (an adorable high school kid) what Andrew had said, and what do you know? The delivery guy got down to Andrew's level and said, "Come here, buddy. I'll give you a hug." And then he hugged Will, too. It absolutely made their whole nights, and mine. My hope is that I can raise my boys to be the kind of teenagers who are that sweet to little kids. I wish I knew who his mom was so I could give her a big hug.

So that's been my week in a nutshell. Here's hoping that next week is much, much healthier.