Cute conversation between Rich and the kids...

I hate to be so blunt, but this has been the worst birthdays I have ever had.  But, even though it was awful, I am realizing it could have been a WHOLE lot worse.  It started at midnight!  Will kept waking up and crying with his two-year molars hurting him.  This went on until about 4:00 a.m.  At that time, I went on to bed where Jared was sleeping because he had some coughing problems earlier that day.  When Jared gets around any kind of spray, he will wake up with a croupy bark and wheezing.  Well, he had fixed his hair the night before and gassed himself out of the bathroom with hair products. 

So it is 4 a.m. and I go to bed only to find Jared gasping for air.  I sat with him and gave him some albuterol, but it didn't seem to help.  I was very worried and phoned Rich at work.  I then took him downstairs and drug him outside to breathe cold air (this sometimes helps).  Coffee, benadryl, & motrin...a concoction that generally works...was given and he finally nodded off around 6 a.m.  Around 6:30 a.m. Klara woke up.  Followed closely by Will.  Suffice it to say that I got zero sleep last night.

When Jared woke up this morning, he was gasping again and I managed to get him into the emergency hours pediatric office for an appointment.  They had to give him a shot in the arm of steroids, which take forever to offer any kind of relief. 

The afternoon was no better.  I won't go into all of it, but it just sucked, in general.  I finally went to the store to pick up some portraits that I had made with Will.  It was supposed to just be Will, but he wouldn't cooperate, so I ended up sitting with him.  I cried all the way to the store and even after I was in the store.  There was a lady standing in front of me picking up her portrait package of her baby daughter.  The woman looked poor...her clothes were ragged.  Of course, they always try to get you to buy the big package by showing you all the nicer pictures that you didn't get into your promotional package. 

She particularly loved this one picture of her daughter; it was beautiful.  I was just about to buy the picture for her when the photographer gave her the picture!  I was so touched!  She was tickled to death.

My turn came and the package was *ok* but the others were, of course, nicer.  I noticed that the photographer put a huge handful of photo Christmas cards into my envelope and I wondered how much they were.  I had no intentions on buying a huge package because it was a spur of the moment portrait session and I was not in the mood to make decisions.  He could see that I had been distressed and asked me what was wrong.  I told him my little boy had been sick all day and I was just tired.  He asked me which picture out of all of them I liked the best and I pointed it out.  He picked it up and put it in my envelope.  I asked him how much it was and he said that it was free.  I broke down and started sobbing.  I was just so touched with his generosity and I was overtaken.  I thanked him profusely and shuffled off to the bathroom where I bawled like a baby for about 10 minutes.  After wiping my face off with a cold wet paper towel, I went about my business.

I decided at that point that perhaps I should just go to the frozen food section and pick out a few easy items for dinner, along with some nice chinette dinner plates and forks.  Easy was the name of the game.  I bought a jug of sweet tea and some apple cider; several of the things that I love the most.  The last thing I picked up was a chocolate sampler cheesecake.  Donna told me to be sure and buy myself some form of cake, so I did. 

As I was checking out, I looked behind me and saw a physician and his wife who attend my church.  Ironically, today is his birthday as well!  I wished him a happy birthday and he reciprocated, but looked saddened.  He told me that everyone missed us at church this morning.  I explained that Jared had been very ill and it was just not possible this morning.  He said that they could have used Rich this morning as an elderly lady member of our church fell down the stairs and broke her hip!  Oh my gosh!  I felt just awful and realized, immediately, that my little problems were very very miniscual compared to hers. 

But, that was not the worst of it...there is a very nice couple in their late 30's/early 40's who are members of the church and they have pre teen/teenage sons.  Apparently, the dad had a major stroke this morning and they are not sure he is going to live!  That is where the physician had been all day...at the hospital sitting with these two unfortunate souls.  He asked me to pray for them and I assured him I would. 

On my way home, I wasn't crying any longer.  I realized that even though I had a rotten birthday, yes, it could have been so much worse.  I thank my Lord that at least I am having a birthday and that everyone in my family is healthy and happy (even if Jared has croup).  Croup doesn't seem so bad anymore!

So here I sit, enjoying a piece of cheesecake (no, Donna, I have taken no pictures.  I don't want to put makeup on!).  However, I will share a few pictures with you.

Here is a picture of the kids dressed up last night to go to a block party:

I make an album of the rest of the pictures tomorrow.  Here are the two portraits I have.  This is the package special:

And here is the one the nice photographer gave me for free, just because Will was so adorable and he was a very thoughtful and caring man:

I will end this post with a birthday laugh.  I don't have the patience to relay the whole entire story, but you can get a little bit of it at Kathy's journal.  In the nutshell, I am now a she-devil.  For the occasion, Donna has made us some new icons (strictly for fun).  Take a look:

I have since went and read the actual post where Kathy, Donna, & I were referred to as "she-devils."  I think the saddest part about this whole thing is that Amy's father has had a stroke.  She mentioned this in passing and dedicated a whole two sentences to it.  She focused more energy and dedication to talking about her being thinner than us and how we are she-devils (keep in mind, Kathy is like 8 months pregnant and I am a good 6 inches taller than her).  I don't know, I just think this is really disturbing.  Amy, I know you are reading this (or someone is who will tell you all about it, HI AIMZ!)  I just wanted to tell you that I will be praying for your father to heal completely and be able to rehabilitate quickly.