I AM a Servant, and I'm ok with that.

I have to say, that it's been a rough couple of weeks since I blogged last.  I fulled intended to continue to write every week, even after Lent finished, but it just has not happened.  Here's the story why:

I ended up not making it to the Triduum at all.  I think it may have been because our oldest daughter had developed a weird rash and we didn't quite know what it was; we had gone to the doctor's and were treating it with Benadryl and Tylenol.  I thought it may be better to not bring her out and possibly expose others (if it were something still contagious), and the night before I had a hard time getting both of them to go to sleep (had to look at my FB status updates).  On Good Friday, by the time I got home from work, both girls were sleeping.  Seemed like a bad idea to wake them for mass at 3pm and I know the dramatic reading at 7pm would have been too scary if it was anything like it has been the past few years.

On that Saturday we went to a wake for my Great Aunt Angie - my mom's Aunt - that we had just seen on Palm Sunday at a memorial for my Great Aunt Gert.   Aunt Angie looked pretty good on Palm Sunday, although it would seem that she just hid it well and didn't like to complain!  She died the following day having spent time with her family and her sister's friends.  It's been a strange year - so far, three of my mom's aunts and my dad's mom all passed away in the span of four months.  Good grief!

Easter was actually very nice with our girls.  Unfortunately, I had a hard time paying attention at mass.  I really hate it when that happens, but on Easter Sunday!  *sigh*  I think I assumed I knew what the readings would be and didn't take the time to prepare, which means I have a hard time remembering what was read and what the homily was pointing out for us.  Very disappointed in myself.  But we had a very nice day and a great time visiting with my family and with my hubby's family too!  (We always split the holidays since we are fortunate to live so close to both sides of our families.) 

The Monday after Easter we had the funeral for Aunt Angie and the rest of the week quickly became a blur because both of my daughters' coughs that they developed became worse, they were getting sick and having a hard time sleeping.  So I started with the humidifier and I ended up waiting until Saturday to bring them to the doctor's office.  My older daughter looked fine and I was to continue with the Benadryl and Tylenol.  The eight month old was sent for a chest x-ray, was put on an antibiotic and I was told to resume the nebulizer treatments.  Of course, she waited to give us a really hard time with keeping nothing down until AFTER the appointment.  We went from Saturday until Monday morning with her not being able to really take anything except apple sauce.  Wonderful.

So on Monday we headed to the doctor's and then had to bring her to the ER for IV fluids.  Poor thing was not happy about the needle and then was even more mad she couldn't reach her thumb because her arm was straightened out.  But the IV fluids seemed to have done the trick.  She started keeping the formula down!  As a side note, as a result of not being able to breathe very well due to the cold/cough, her first nursing session of the day had been a lot shorter than usual for the previous week.  So after the ER experience, over the next few mornings, she would scream after her only nursing feeding of the day (I had weaned her to just one) so I would supplement with a bottle.  But we dropped that last feeding altogether.  I think it has made me miss that special bonding time more than I expected it to. 

We celebrated my birthday as a family on Wednesday of last week, while Hannah was still recovering, then spent time together unexpectedly again on Friday, my actual birthday!  It was nice my husband was able to leave work early, albeit because he had now developed the cold/cough from the girls.  We celebrate Mother's Day for me every year on Saturday so that we can spend time with each of our moms on Mother's Day.  We took a trip out to Hampton Beach.  You can read about part of our experience that night at my husband's blog if you want.  It was a nice night out to dinner as a family - something we don't do very often - with an interesting side show.

I know, excuses, excuses, huh!?  Yes, I haven't blogged in a while, but I am back.  I posted a quote on May 1st on FB for the beatification of Pope John Paul II:  "To maintain a joyful family requires much from both the parents and the children. Each member of the family has to become, in a special way, the servant of the others." - Pope John Paul II  So, from time to time, when there are things I must take care of for my family, I may take a short hiatus from my writing.  I AM a servant for my girls and, yes, even for my husband, and I'm ok with that.