RSV Final Update

Hello all! Sorry for the long break! We've been SO busy! We have survived RSV! I hope you haven't been too worried about us in the long silence between posts. We haven't been sick this whole time! In fact, we got well enough to make a trip to Memphis for Christmas to visit my family! Yea! So pictures and stories are coming! Currently all children are healthy! Let's hope they stay that way!

RSV Update

We continue to fight the snotty-nose war here at RSV Central! Sometimes things are okay, and other times they are a nightmare! The kids are so up and down with this thing. One minute they're lying around being totally pitiful and then they just pop up and play for a little bit, then just start crying for no apparent reason and come collapse in your lap all pitiful again.

And the snot! It's really awful! We are constantly wiping noses and will likely max out the space in the nearest landfill with all our tissues. And don't forget...the bulb syringe! Boy do the kids LOVE to have their noses sucked! Seriously, you should see them start running for cover whenever they see one. We literally have to hold them down with this contorted immobilizing grip while they twist and scream and cry and break our hearts they whole time! But the nastiness we get out of their noses makes it worthwhile I guess.

I'll be glad when it's over. Sadly, Jonathan is still having bouts of pitifulness and still running a fever. Reagan and Thomas have also run a fever off and on and been periodically pitiful. Zachary is doing the best currently. It's hard to say who is the worst because they change so much from one minute to the next. If they can just not be pitiful all at the same time, we may survive this!

RSV

Yes, the dreaded Respiratory Syncytial Virus has descended upon our home, made itself comfortable, and smeared snot everywhere. As you may remember if you've been around since last year, the kids got shots last Oct through March to help protect them from this most evil of viruses. And the shots combined with the fact that we almost never left the house worked to keep us RSV-free all last winter.

But not this winter.

Alas. But I'd rather have it now than have had it then! It shouldn't be too serious now that the kids are older and usually healthy. It should just be like a really bad cold. So far it's been like this...snotty noses, really gross snotty noses, fever, snottier noses, don't feel good, pitiful, snotty noses, breathing treatments, nose-sucking, and did I mention the really nasty snotty noses?

Only Jonathan has actually been confirmed by a dr to have RSV, but I think its pretty much a given that the other three snotty-nosed children also have it. He has run a fever since Mon and yesterday was just really pitiful. Today he seems much better, so hopefully he's on his way out of it. The others are probably still on their way into it. We predict Reagan will be the next one to hit major pitiful status. I'll keep you posted as best I can. Keep us in your prayers!

Email Hoaxes

Okay, this has nothing to do with the kids, so skip it if you want to! Recently I have received several forwarded emails warning me of various threatening situations lurking out there in the world. After checking snopes.com, I discovered them all to be unsubstantiated or flat out untrue. So I want to briefly mention them here, in case you've received the same emails.

First, despite the fact that my email came with a picture of a very creepy real-life spider, neither it nor any of its relatives has ever been found lurking beneath the seat of a public restroom toilet waiting to inject unsuspecting bottoms with its deadly poison.

Second, the new presidential dollar coins, although they do not have the words "In God We Trust" printed on the front or back, they DO have this phrase printed on the edge of the coin. It was apparently relocated to make room for the names and years in office of the presidents featured on the coins. So it's still there, just in a different place.

Finally, I'm often getting emails to warn me about tricks being used by rapists and serial killers and robbers and such. Recently I've been warned not to sniff perfume samples in parking lots and to be suspicious of the nicely dressed man who offers to help change the tire on my car that is mysteriously flat when I return to it after shopping or who approaches me claiming to be returning some money I "dropped." According to snopes.com, there is no substance strong enough to knock a person out with merely one or two sniffs, there is no evidence of any actual criminal using "dropped" money as a way to lure victims, and there's only one case back in 1989 where a man let the air out of a woman's tire and then showed up to help fix it and ended up kidnapping her, etc.

HOWEVER, I think that whether or not these situations have ever brought harm to anyone, the bottom line is don't be stupid. Pay attention to your surroundings, don't talk to strangers in parking lots no matter how nice they seem to be, don't allow strangers to ride in your car no matter what good service they have done for you, and if something doesn't feel right, go back into the store and get security. Possibly, the reason there are no actual cases of people being harm ed in the above situations is because they were all smart enough to smell a rat and foil the evil plot. Hopefully we're all that smart! For more information on these and any other potential email hoaxes, check out www.snopes.com.

May you all have a very safe Christmas season!

Thanksgiving Festivities Part 2

I know, I know...it's been forever! Christmas is closing in and I'm SO busy I can't believe it, but here's a little something to hopefully entertain you.

We had company at the house the week before Thanksgiving. As you know, Uncle Clay, Aunt Carey, and Cousin Tyler came to visit. Our friends Matthew and Michele also came for a few days, along with their son Andy, who's about to turn 2, and their newborn daughter Katie. Matthew's parents also came down for a short visit. It made for a pretty full house at times, but it was worth it because it was so great to see them all!

And I'd like to say a big thank you to Julia for letting some of our guests sleep at her house. What a tremendous help that was! Thank you!

Here are just a few shots from our fun times together:

Tyler thinks his cousins have the coolest toys ever!

Thomas enjoying the slide at the park

6 adults and 7 children, we pretty much took over the playground when we arrived!

From the youngest to the oldest and everyone in between!

In case you were curious as to what it takes to get a pictures of 7 children under the age of 2!

Go Vols!

Just want to wish lots of luck to our favorite Volunteers!

Go Vols!

Beat LSU!

Go Vols!

Showing some Voluteer spirit!

Go Big Orange!