Miracle of Amoxicillin and Answers to Prayers...

It’s tough when the blog gets slacked on, because it leaves a lot that has to be brought up to speed. What needs to be brought up to speed is mostly good news with the fun of life’s Murphy’s Laws mixed in with it. 

 

Two days after the 5K, Strep Throat hit me with a vengeance. It was probably already smoldering in my system (it just didn’t “explode” yet) because I had achy and scratchy fun going on a few days before the race. Then that following Monday, I was subbing for the middle school and it started coming on. I knew it had to be strep because it was worse than the aches, congestion and throat issues I had been battling previously off and on in the month prior. Plus, this time, my voice started to vanish and it hurt to speak (that makes for some really effective 7^th grade substitute teaching, by the way).

While attempting to make it through that day (and sadly, exposing the poor school to the infection…luckily it had been going around, so I guess they couldn’t blame only me), the principal came in the classroom and said that I was officially offered the position for the art teacher next year! Very exciting news!

Yep! This is quite telling. Especially with my circa 2007 flip-phone...

However, that part is kind of a blur because I was already pretty sick by that point. And she knew it, so I made sure she stood further back. I texted some friends and Chris the good news. Chris texted back that we should celebrate that night. I texted back that I was sure I had strep. No celebrating to be had. In fact, a week and a half later, he and I still haven’t gotten a chance to officially celebrate. Between the house building and how crazy Chris’s work schedule is every April, it is hard to find the time. 

Back to the strep day (but also the day I found out I would have the job), the annoying thing is I couldn’t even get an appointment at the doctor’s office for that afternoon. Therefore, I was suffering until a hopeful appointment the following day. Christian took my temperature and it was 102. I admit I was pining for our days back in Queen Creek. My doctor’s office there had “walk in” hours until 7pm for this sort of thing. But not here in cowboy town Wickenburg. Relief had to wait at least a day. And even then it took longer than usual for the antibiotics to kick in. 

Sure, I could have driven over 30 miles to an Urgent Care and get antibiotics that same day, but by the time I made it home from subbing that Monday, I wasn’t going anywhere unless it was to a doctor’s office nearby. 

Meanwhile, during this fun period, the house has really been coming along! I think as I speak, the tubs are already in the house. I’ll be able to see firsthand tomorrow. All I have for today are these shots from the street.

Look closely...in the front door, there is a dude lying on top of sheetrock...

I need to narrow down my interior paint color choices and obtain the paint and be ready to go. I want to get the walls painted before the baseboards and crown molding are added, so there’s no annoying taping. Yuck. 

I wish we could afford professional painters to come in and get that part done lickity split, but sadly, that’s not in the budget. At least we can hire friends and stuff and pay them a monetary reward plus pizza if they help get the inside walls painted. We’ll see how that goes.

Meanwhile, I finished a huge project from a beloved repeat client. The focus is at-risk and troubled teens and the road to recovery.  

Last weekend, my friend Billie and I headed to Tucson for Time-Out for Women. I do wish there was more time to relax and take more of a "time out". I really feel they should have about 2 doxen massage therapists with those massage chairs and offer  the women massages! I'd be all over that!

But Billie and I did enjoy pedicures before heading back home. 

One of the inspirational messages from the event is this one. Of course, there are so many more. 

One thing that didn't help at Time Out for Women were all the babies that were there. No, not because of crying or anything. I wanted to hold and cuddle those babies! Especially the really little ones. 

The event was for adult women only, but nursing babies of course were welcome. And the next day, back home, I was oggling over this adorable baby in church and I whisper, "I need to hold that baby....give me that baby...." 

Christian says (also a whisper) "well, then fire up your reproductive organ and have one..."

And if that wasn't enough, then Chris acted like he was trying to start a boat motor by pulling a rope....

I guess that's a good place to end this post.  

The Hills Are Alive...but I'm Not...

Pre-race

That means I knew this 5K yesterday was going to kick my butt. And it did. Sure, I run 2.5-3.0 miles on the treadmill three times a week. But despite setting certain inclines, treadmill running is only going to take you so far in your preparations. I had not been able to train in real world running previous to this 5K as I have in others. 

Therefore, getting out there in the real hilly routes without adequate training in the real world was a wake-up call, even though I expected it.
 
However, that said, the Wickenburg 5K route HAD to be on the short side. With those hills and being sick this week, there's no way my time was 4 minutes better than other 5Ks. Oh well. 34:33 on my timer (34:31 officially). 

I'll take it!

2015 Wickenburg Wild West Run Results

• Overall, I came in 64th out of 169 in the 5K.

• For just the females, I came in 36th out of 111

• And in my age bracket, I came in 9th out of 24

Sad thing is, if I was in the next age bracket up (which sadly is only 2 weeks away...cue grim reaper death march music) I would have came in second out of 18 for that age bracket in women. 


And new age bracket or not, my time on that run will be better next year. I know I'll be more adequately trained. Plus, the route isn't far at all from where our house is being built. I can train on the actual route along with the hilly roads nearby. 

Heading back...over halfway done... yeah, it looks flat there...But don't be fooled!

In the meantime, I'm still trying to figure out if I'm still under the weather (that the run didn't help with, I realize) or if I'm coming down with something new along with the continual pain in muscle groups that I forgot that I had to begin with. 

Until next time...

 

Eggscitement

April 5th Easter Sunday egg hunting at the house under construction

Well, rounds of illnesses have swept through the house again. Chris and Mikelle had strep throat. Alexander had some fun occurrences the night after Easter that made for a miserable few hours. There is no need to elaborate. Poor baby. :-( Let's just say, he was feeling okay by morning. 

And I don't even know what to call my ailment. It's pretty much the same thing (but worse) I had a couple of weeks ago. And it kicked my butt yesterday despite needing to substitute at the high school first. At least it was an easy assignment. If I had to deal with unruly classes along with being sick, I don't know if I would have made it. Luckily, ample rest and sleep has helped. This has to go away. The Wickenburg 5K is Saturday.

As for Chris's strep, he came home from work early and headed to the doctor's office. The doctor asks, "do you need a note for work?" Chris says no. The doctor then tells him to stay in bed tomorrow and chill and watch TV. So Chris says, "Then can I have a note for my wife?"

Cute.

Anyway, just a day before he was hit with strep, we spent Easter quietly at home (well, it depends on how literal the term quietly is interpreted..). 

Alexander and Mikelle at the top of the stairs...

However, we had our egg hunt at the house under construction. Therefore, the rest of this entry is picture heavy with more construction pictures along with the egg hunting fun.  And looking at these pictures, I'm not seeing Christian. He was there, I can assure you!

Mom and X-man

Easter Sunday April 5, 2015.. You can see Chris inside...

Garage and Kitchen window

View of Vulture Peak

West end of house...Garage and kitchen window

Back of house, looking north

Garage and back of house...looking north/northeast

East side of house, looking south/southwest

Duct work! No, no eggs hidden up there....

Vulture peak view and east side of house...looking south

Standing in Living Room, looking at stairs and master suite (other side of stairs)

Standing in living room, looking into kitchen

Egg hidden in master shower! lol...

X-man and a Minion egg...

X-man out there... View from top level, looking into back...

I am told the house now has windows. I can only assume that means glass in the windows.  Another visit to the site this weekend. 

My excitement for the completion of this house is so hard to contain! 

Yes, Easter and Elf in the same post. It makes sense to me! lol
Until next time.

The Roof...The Roof...The Roof is on

...the house!

Taken 3/26/15 Back view...looking north/northwest

Well, the roof has been there for over a week now. I do wish I was able to make it out to the site more last week.  Time wasn't the problem. It was energy and stress. I was there on Monday, however, and the progress is so exciting. Most of the top/main level is framed!

I'll be frank and admit how much Alexander is running me into the ground. I know Christian was also a handful in his toddler/pre-school years, but I've never had a kid with the kind of tantrums and such a display of anger and tenacity as Alexander. I knew something like this was possible the way he would cry as a baby. I can't really describe the cry. Oh, I can hear it in my head, but I cannot put it to words. 

It was a typical cry of displeasure followed by an extension of drama just to make sure we were aware that he was pissed. That still doesn't quite describe it. Let's just say that when he cried that way when I was in the car with Georgia (my step-mother-in-law...this was when 9 month old Alexander and I went to Oregon to visit them upon their return from South Africa), and she heard that cry, she was taken aback followed by an, "oh my...". And this is a woman who had eight kids of her own and has a plethora of grand kids. But she hadn't heard that type of cry before. 

Therefore, fast forward to age 4, and we are reaching a breaking point. A friend who witnessed a Level 10 Tantrum last week put it best, "His tantrums are as bad as he is adorable..." 

Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. And on Monday, when Alexander didn't like the answer he received as I stood at the snack bar at Target, he ran to the crowded floor where the groceries are bagged and people are finished checking out and just lied there. The cute guy who was working the snack bar register was like, "wow...." Then he said, "He is trying to get you to go over there. You know that's what he's trying to do..." That young kid totally got it. And I said, "That's why I'm ignoring it, despite the looks I am getting right now because my kid is blocking the way and I'm still standing here..."

But the house is coming along. (How's that for a segway?) That means when we move in, there will be more space for people to go to their corners of the ring to stay away from whomever they were fighting with. 

I am included in that. 

Meanwhile, Christian received more awesome awards for the third quarter of the semester. He made the Honor Roll again, along with Exceeding in the Math. Then he received a special award that I am not sure any other students have received this year. When he was reading the announcements one week in the principal's office (I think it was sometime in January), I guess he showed her a way to read the Word Documents on her screen more effectively. I was able to be there for one of those days and the principal raved at how helpful Christian was with her computer. Yes, I'm proud. But I also have to laugh. Because he always has an opinion about the way someone uses their computer. In fact, back in second grade, he showed his teacher some features on the Power Point to make things (in his mind) "better". She was impressed with his knowledge, as was his principal this semester! 

Click here for the video of her description as she presents him with the award. 

Yep. I'm proud. That smartypants is my kid. 

"I'm only visiting this planet..."

And because I do love Alexander, here is a video I just love from back in November 2011 when he first started to walk. I'm also having a good hair day in the video, so it's an especially favorable X-man video. That cute little narrator voice is 11 year old Mikelle. Why am I showing this? Because cute photos, videos and other nostalgia is helping me through this struggle we are in with this phase he is in. 

Plus, it's good for Way-Back Wednesday.

Meanwhile, here is a picture of Mikelle from an outing she and I were on last Saturday. She usually loathes having her picture taken. You'd think she was in the Witness Protection Program. But when I snuck in this snapshot, she didn't become as angry as she usually does. I'll count that as a good thing.  Progress is being made. 

And to end this post with random anecdotes, here is a picture from over a urinal that Chris took at a pizza joint the other night. 

One is laughing while the other is looking.

You're welcome.