A whirlwind

(Note: Long post covering the last several days ahead!)
The past few days have been a bit of a whirlwind. I got back from my conference and kicked into high gear: you know what that is, when you frantically run around cleaning everything in sight, purchasing enough food to feed an army and alternating between extreme panic to relative calm over the fact that in just a few short days guests will be descending on your house for the first time ever. Luckily for us, my husband and I alternated those moments of panic, otherwise our household really wouldn't have been a pretty place in the days leading up to our first housewarming. The day (Saturday) dawned sunny and bright, some last minute cleaning was done (I must have been crazy to let my husband talk me into purchasing a white bath mat. That thing has been cleaned more than my counters I think!) and we were ready to go.
The housewarming was, if I do say so myself, quite a success. A nice blend of family, friends and neighbors, one extreme bocci game and tons of yummy food. All went well and my husband and I realized that we could really get into this whole party thing (especially when you have your Moms bring some of the yummy food!)

Monday, I met my sister for lunch, follwed by a brief (but successful!) trip into this store and ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery. It was a wonderful afternoon and one I wish I could repeat at least a dozen more times before school begins again.

Tuesday morning I awoke to a frantic phone call from my sister....my nieces were sick, she was throwing up and she needed help. I threw on my clothes and dashed over to my mom's house to help care for two of the cutest little girls around. Spending time with these two, even when they are sick, is always fun and makes my heart fill to bursting with love for them so it was a day well spent.

Wednesday is when the trouble began.....I woke up early, feeling a little nauseous. Convinced I had caught whatever my nieces had I called my Mom. That's right, I'm a thirty year old married woman who calls her mom when she's sick. C'mon, you know you do it too! Well, she was convinced it was morning sickness, despite my protests.
(No, I'm not making an announcement right now!) I got myself dressed and headed to my meeting, opting to skip my usual tea and the plain english muffin I had toasted. Well. I threw up three times. The first two I kept quiet about, but the third one was in front of everyone (the bathroom was occupied, it's not like I wanted to be heaving my guts out in front of a committee of my colleagues). After the third time I went home and crawled into bed where I spent a miserable day alternately sweating and feeling chilled, painfully aching in all of my joints and throwing up all over the floor (which my husband cleaned up without complaint. If ever there was any doubt about his love for me, I think that pretty much clears it up!)

Thursday morning dawned and I felt (almost) human. It might have had something to do with the fact that I ate absolutely nothing the day before so there was nothing in my stomach to throw up. My husband had an interview in the same school district I teach in and I did manage, in my half asleep state, to wish him good luck. Oh wait, did I mention that Thursday was my birthday? That's right, the big 30. I was so out of it for most of the day I almost forgot! Russ had planned a large dinner party involving parents and siblings. By midafternoon they were dropping like flies.....everyone was sick. We went from a dinner party of 12 to a dinner party of 6. But, at the end of the day, we had a lovely time and I even managed to eat some of everything! Plus, midway through the preparations Russ got a call: he got the job!!! All in all, a pretty fantastic day. Here's hoping I'm back to my (old) self tomorrow in time for my last wedding of the season!