An Update

Boring title I know, but that is what I feel this is, the update, and it's a looooong one! For those of you who didn't know Mark was able to come home for Christmas (still on orders) since he was still stateside (yeah!)! We were so grateful to have him home, it would have been very difficult without him. Well, as usual we did things the Gundrum way, that would mean sick the whole time! I don't know what is wrong with us this winter but we just keep on getting everything that is going around! To make it a little shorter I will number our events in the order that they happened:

1 Mark comes home!! YEAh we all rejoice!

2 Christmas day: Mark gets sick and faints in the bathroom hitting his face on the tub on the way down. Mary is quite frightened upon finding him unconscience on the floor. The children are sent to Grandmas for Christmas dinner without us and well Mark and I had a great time talking and spending time together, even with sickness.

3 We had a couple very uneventful days of staying in our PJs and playing boggle watching the beautiful snow come down.

4 We went to Organ Piper Pizza, because of the kindness of some friends, and had a great time until B informed us that she needed to throw up, well indeed she did. Cleaning up my own bathroom is one thing but, a public bathroom? YUCK!

5 The next day M informed us that it was his turn and Dad did a real good job holding the bucket!

6 Everybody seemed real good except J had some real red rings under her eyes and C had some strange spots on her face that we didn't think much of.

7 We went out to dinner without the children, thanks to the Shoepkes! We had such a wonderful time and then reality set in that it would be our last dinner together for a long time....

-Mark had said it was the most amazing days he had ever had with his family, even with the sickness, it didn't matter, he was so grateful for the time!

8 We dropped Mark off......... This was the saddest day of my married life and it was nothing short of traumatic, for all of us. I appreciate everyone's prayers. It was so hard to believe that this was the last time he would embrace us and look at us for a year. Well, I'm sure you can imagine. After we left, M through tears asked if we could visit Jesus, he just needed to talk to him! After visiting our Lord in church we went to Grandma's for some hot chocolate and cookies. It felt a little like a death coming home and seeing everything that is his.

9 That very same night my daughter J throws up from the top bunk, I will let your imagination fill in the rest of the details!

10 The next day P, C and J are not doing well so they are taken in to the doctors to find out that C has hand, foot and mouth disease, J has strep throat and P has an infected diaper rash that would not allow me to put her down. I am still trying to keep my patience at this point...

11 Later that evening I feel a fever coming on so I take some Ibruprofen and start disenfecting with some germicide that C gave me (thanks C!) By the next morning I am laid up (and I mean laid up) with a 103 temp. After two days of this fever I finally figured out it was strep and got the proper medicine, what a tremendous relief that was!! B was incredible! She basically ran the household, hardly even saw P except to feed her. I started to feel sorry for myself and then I saw in the news two more stories of soldiers who have died in Iraq. Right away I resolved that I would go through this a million times over if it means you will come home to us safe and sound. I pray for those suffering families...

I could not have made it through this last sickness without the help of the Smrecek's. T took M to his meet (which was 4 hours long, six with travel) and L helped out with the children and the Sunday meal. She then ran out to get my medicine for me. We have been so blessed by your friendship!N your offer to help (great ideas!) meant so much and were greatly appreciated!

Robin Moore from the Republicans women club came and brought a wonderful meal of pot roast, potatoes, apples and carrots! It was perfect timing for the children and I even had some once the medicine took effect! What a wonderful meal! Thank you so much!!

I am starting to tire out so I will be logging off soon , but after this hopefully it will be much lighter topics! If anyone has any tips as to how to get the sickness out of the house, please feel free to share!!