thoughts on a sunday

Miss Layla sits by the Christmas tree watching the train go round and round for long periods of time.  It's probably her favorite thing to watch. . .aside from me doing jumping jacks.  More on that later. . .

• It's been five weeks since we've all been to church together.  I was so looking forward to going today but then during family movie Ellery threw up. . .and threw up every fifteen minutes for two hours.  I was really mad because that meant she had to stay home and that we probably wouldn't go to the Christmas musical fireside tonight.  Ugh.

• I'm really hoping that no one else gets it, but especially Brian.  He really can't afford to get the stomach flu.

• I think Layla wanted in on some of the action, because during dinner she stuffed her hand in her mouth so far that she gagged herself, and threw up all over the floor.  Over and over and over.  

• All this sickness talk reminds me of two things.  First the spot on my back.  I've had a pain on my lower right shoulder blade since September.  At first I thought it was related to all the other stuff, but now I think it's my gall bladder.  The pain comes and goes at random. . .or so I thought. . .and can be very uncomfortable when it's there.  After Friday's dinner of cheese pizza with ranch and See's chocolates for dessert (what?) it hurt really bad- enough for me to do some research.  So that's what I think it is.  Now I'm just going to be extra aware of when it hurts and see if it relates to what I'm eating.  We'll see...

• And that brings me to my other health update.  I've had several people ask if there's any news regarding the MS. . .um. . .the MS scare?  What do I call it?  Anyway, I have had absolutely no symptoms since those first few weeks and I feel really good.  I will have another MRI in February or March to see if there's anything new going on and that's really all there is to report.  I still feel so grateful for the outcome.  It was a horrible, scary, sacred, life-changing thing to go through and although I don't want to repeat it, I'm grateful that it all happened.  And, if at any time I find that I do have MS, I will be completely devastated, but I also feel a lot more prepared to handle that trial if that's what's in store for me.  

• Okay, lets stop being so serious.  How about how the seniors of OHSU's nursing anesthesia program graduated this week?  THIS WEEK!  That means that this time next year we will be attending a graduation ceremony and Brian will be able to start living again!  What I love about this is that every day is part of the countdown.

• McKay and Ellery were talking about Layla and Ellery mentioned that Layla was scared.  McKay said, matter-of-factly, "No, Layla's not afraid of anything. . .even a cheetah!"

• Another funny thing is that they think the gibberish lyrics at the end of the Beatles song  Hello, Goodbye says, "Layla.  Layla, not Lola."  I love that.

• We went to OMSI (science museum) this week and had so much fun.  It had been awhile since McKay had seen the earthquake house and I forgot to prep him about it beforehand.  Needless to say, all the sudden at bedtime he became completely terrified of earthquakes.  At least he didn't have any nightmares.

• We brought McKay's friend Matthew along with us to OMSI.  His mom is our relief society president and I've really never met anyone else like her.  She is an angel.  She is so kind, thoughtful, friendly, and funny and she has the ability to make you feel so good when she talks to you.  I am so lucky that I have gotten to know her and she'll be someone I'll never forget.  Okay, enough with the love letter, I know.  Anyway, so we dropped Matthew off and she greeted me at her door with a box of See's chocolates.   Last time I had Matthew over to play she picked him up with dinner in her arms and left it on our table.  I don't even know what else to say about that.  

• So Brian's had a week off, which has been SO nice.  I have loved just being home all together without all the stress.  Brian's decided that now that he's just doing clinicals and not classes, he can start getting serious about running again.  And this week he got pretty serious.  I'm happy that he'll be able to devote a little more time to running.  He needs it in his life.  It makes him happy.

• Ellery's picked up a bad habit.  Every time we put her in a time out with the door shut she pees her pants.  Well, actually she yells, "I HAVE TO GO POTTY!" with fake urgency and if we don't open the door immediately she gets right to it.  This week she lost her nightgowns for two days because of it.  Trying to break this little habit of hers, but she's a stubborn girl and if she thinks she can shorten her time out she's gonna pee.      

• I went downtown with a friend to the new H&M.  I drove.  It was dark and it was rainy and I drove.  Proud.  And also, I was not as impressed with H&M as I have been in the past, although the kids section was fun.

• Brian also got a pass to the Nike employee store this week, so we went on Thursday.  This is apparently a big deal because you have to show id and have a special pass to enter.  Again, I was a little disappointed because of the hype I had heard about the store.  Even with everything being 50% off it was still too much for me.  I wonder, when we actually have money coming in will I still be this cheap?  Will I still only shop on the clearance racks?  It's been too long to know for sure.  

• Guess what?  Layla and Brian are turning a corner!  I think they're friends!  I think she finally loves her daddy.  This is great news.

• Ellery for sure loves her daddy.  They have a special little thing going on.  Whenever I tell her I love her she says, "Uh huh, and daddy loves me."  She has a way with him that even when she's being naughty he thinks she cute and he will just laugh at her.  They are a cute little pair.

• My friend was asking me about Brian the other day.  Asking about his personality and stuff.  She then said, "I feel like he's so quiet and that he's like a bishop or something. . .like I desperately need his approval and I'm just trying to get him to like me."  This made me laugh.  Then it made me remember how I thought he was stuck up when I first met him.  For awhile.  And how a lot of people have thought that.  And then it made me think that he's all mysterious.  And even though I sometimes hate that he's quiet, having him be mysterious was kind of fun.  So now that's what he is.  Not quiet.  Mysterious.

Happy Sunday!