Best-Laid Plans

I had grand plans for today.  Okay, not grand, but they included a shower and some time to myself while my mother-in-law watched the girls for a few hours.

At 6:30 am this morning, I knew my plans were doomed. 

Susie woke up crying her poor little heart out early this morning, which was indicator #1 something was very wrong.  Indicator #2 was that she was radiating heat.  Indicator #3 was that she fitfully slept on my chest for the next hour, waking up every few minutes to wimper and wail.  I proceeded to spend the rest of the morning cuddling her warm body while I got everyone dressed.  My mother-in-law kindly came over to watch Becky, and Susie and I headed out the door into a snowy day to take her to the pediatrician’s office. 

Have I ever mentioned here how much I HATE driving in the snow?  Well, I HATE it.  Perhaps because one of the first times I drove in the snow  (other than the little snow squalls I encountered while in college in Washington State) was when Jim attempted to amputate his own leg with a chainsaw while clearing the lot for our house.  I had to drive to the ER with a bleeding Jim beside me while I was trying to focus on the road AND on not passing out myself (P.S. – Jim was fine.  The wound to his leg wasn’t deep and simply required a few stitches, even though my psychic scars are another story). 

So.  I don’t like driving in the snow, especially because I usually find myself doing it when my loved ones are in pain.  Because there’s not much else that’s going to get me to drive in the snow.

Anyway, we made it to the pediatrician’s office and back without me driving into a ditch or plowing into a plow-truck or encountering any of my snow-driving nightmares.  The doctor diagnosed Susie with yet another ear infection (yes, that’s three in the last two months) and put her on yet another antibiotic regimen.  I hope she waits at least until spring to get another ear infection; I don’t think my nerves can take another snowy-doctor-drive.

There is a happy ending to all this melodrama: Lord willing, my Mom is coming here tomorrow from California!  She and I are then flying with the girls to visit friends and extended family in North Carolina next week.  I’m thrilled to have her here with us, and I’m excited to introduce my daughters to my aunt, uncle, cousins and dear friends.  I doubt I will be blogging much next week, although I have a few posts in the queue to upload automatically.  That way, Jim can have a few new pictures of his girls to admire while he’s left at home.  I don’t want the poor guy to feel too lonely.  They are his Faith and Joy, too, after all!