Sometimes I feel like I have everything together and can handle anything that comes my way. My routines go well, the kids do their chores, school and learning happens and everyone gets fed and where they need to be. Other times, and sometimes other-times feels like ALL the time, everything falls apart and I go about in a daze trying to keep things together.

This past week the baby (5 weeks old) has been sick and we've been up during the night with him. That was followed by numerous doctors visits and also a 5 1/2 hour trip to the E.R. I've also been sick and my fuzzy head makes me feel like I'm in a daze and working on mere survival.

School has been on hold for the last 2 days, but everything else has trudged along. Amazingly enough, my routines work! Because they are trained I'm able to tell the kids to do their chores and they get done! Of course, I'm not around to check them so they sometimes only get done to the satisfaction of a small person, but there's got to be some joy in mom being sick right? :)

Today is Timothy's birthday. The blessing for him was that Daddy was at the E.R. with the baby last night and then woke up sick today. Why is that a blessing? Because he actually called in sick and is home today. Timothy apparently thinks his birthday should be a national holiday. I don't blame him though because I declare the same thing on my birthday! :)

So that is what we've been up to; at times trying to survive, at other times, doing "what we do" and accomplishing much. It's in these less than normal times that I feel so thankful for the stress of regular life. But, to tell you the truth, opening presents with my now 8 year old, holding my feeling better baby and sniffling with my husband is pretty nice, but then again, my brain might be in a daze...

-Julee