Joining the Ranks

Guess who is now down for the count?

Yep.
Mommy.

I just knew yesterday was my last day of wellness. I just knew, when I drifted off to sleep, that a few hours later I'd be up writhing in some midnight achy torment. I just knew I wouldn't escape unscathed.

And sure enough -- at some wee, dark hour I woke up and couldn't breathe. I'm a quiet "nose-breather" when I sleep, so the very fact that my nose wasn't working woke me up immediately. I tried to clear it, but nothing would budge. I was forced to breathe through my mouth, which I loathe. My body played ping-pong with hot and cold; my bones hurt; my skin ached; my throat felt like sandpaper; my eyes felt like they were melting behind my eyelids. A good sleep was not in the cards last night.

I woke up at 6:30 a.m., too uncomfortable to lay in bed anymore (and that's saying something, from someone whose bed is her best friend!). I saw Don sacked out on the couch, bundled under several blankets. The kids must have heard me, despite my best efforts at being quiet, so they too joined us in the living room. I was absolutely thrilled to be greeted by a smiling, bright-eyed boy who greeted me with the first good news of the day: "I'm feeling a lot better, Mommy!" I managed a weak smile, a hack, a few sneezes in response.

While everyone was seated, immediately throwing out their demands of their drinks of choice this morning for Mommy to serve them (oooohhhhh ... this is going to be hard!), I got the thermometer and decided to make the rounds, to see where each of us stood. A fever contest, of sorts. And the results are:

Aidan: 99.8 (definitely on the mend)
Grace: 101.7 (she relapsed!!! Not good)
Mommy: 101.7 (a tie!)
Daddy: 102.7 (the winner)

So there you have it -- our little family of four.
What a day this will be ...