{sigh}

It's a wonder how someone can be so content, and at the same time feel like everything is in a complete upheaval. How can things be so wrong, yet so right?

Beanpole had his first orchestra concert last night. He was fan-freakin-tastic!!! I teared up several times. He was able to sit right on the end of the second semi-circle, so the audience was right next to him. He was completely embarrassed by us, but I caught him peeking in between people's heads to see if we were looking. I smiled and winked at him every chance I got. A special treat of DQ ice cream, and all was well with the world.

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Little Linebacker was sick yesterday. I knew something was up when, the night before, he'd gone to bed on his own, falling asleep in a position only an unborn baby would find comfortable. A couple hours later, he awoke and ventured downstairs where his father and I sat working at our computers, glazed look in his eyes, sad scowl on his face. I asked if he was okay (I thought maybe he'd thrown up...it was that kind of look), but he said he was alright, nothing hurt, no accidents, nada. I ushered him back upstairs, and after a proper tucking in, he was asleep within seconds. The next morning? BAM. 102.8 degrees. My poor boy. This morning? No fever, no glazed eyes, my hyperactive child was back in business.

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Cakes has been sick as well. Her pediatrician said it could be a sinus infection, but it could also be strep (strep in babies present just like a sinus infection, not like in adults where it's accompanied by swollen tonsils and bumps and all that fun stuff). She was around someone who was diagnosed a few days prior with strep; that's the only reason he mentioned it. So she's on day 6 of medication, and although she's more like her normal self (which these days is a bubbly, talkative, squirming bundle of baby), but she's nowhere near well. We still run her humidifier at night and during naps, still suction her nose, and still change diapers affected by her antibiotics. Normally, though, she is just as cute as a button, has about a gazillion nicknames, and has transformed our home. She's quite enjoying her cereal, carrots, and butternut squash (she was supposed to get sweet potatoes last night, but the concert and all...no time for taters), and she's growing like mad. The whole starting of veggies makes me wish for spring, as I've received my Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds catalog and am hoping to order and actually plant a veggie-full garden this year, mostly for homegrown Cakes-food, but maybe some maters and cukes for me as well (oh, if only I could get The Boys to eat a veggie besides corn, which isn't really even a veggie!).

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Big Boss Man is upstairs asleep as I type, trying to fight what we first thought was a bought of Pizza Hut thin crust pizza, but now has lasted way too long and might actually be the flu. We had grand plans to get our taxes done this morning, but we'll see. I work this afternoon, and then for the rest of the week as well. So if it doesn't happen today, we're looking at Saturday at the earliest. Here's hoping whatever this bug is doesn't completely knock him out of the race.

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Back in January, I hurt my back at work. For some reason, I can make filing a small folder a dangerous job. I thought I threw my back out (I've never done that before, but I sure felt like it looks like people in the movies and on tv feel like when it happens). But I was able to stand back up at first, so I knew that wasn't right. I thought maybe I just pulled a muscle, so I tried to walk around the back of the pharmacy for awhile. A few hours later, not only was it not getting better, it was getting decidedly worse, to the point where if I took a step, I had to support my entire body weight by leaning on the counter. I ended up leaving early to go to the emergency room at the same hospital I gave birth to Cakes. I had to be wheeled out of the store in our "for customer use" wheelchair, which was thoroughly embarrassing.

Turns out, after IV morphine and exams by a couple different doctors and xrays and more IV morphine (woohoo!!), I herniated a disc. No one told me why it happened or what to do to make it not happen again. I was sent home on 2 day bedrest, then 4 days of no lifting. I saw an occupational therapist who released me for restricted duty one week after it happened, then full duty, no restrictions, 2 weeks after it happened. Now I definitely feel better, but I still get extraordinarily sore after a day of work (we stand the whole day, except a 20-30 minute lunch break). I have been trying to reach my workman's comp claims examiner for, let's see, this would be the 6th business day, and I haven't heard a thing. I also tried calling her supervisor, left a message there too, and nothing. I should have a check coming to me (granted, it's for one day's work, but that's still one day's work), and I'd like to see if I can at least follow up with my primary to get some kind of exercises to do to strengthen my back. I'm also fighting with the subrogation department about getting my ER copay back...$100 because I wasn't thinking clearly when I was there. Oddly, I've left 3 messages with that woman as well.

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I am also embarking on an expedition of my own. I've been trying (for years, it seems) to think of some way I could make money "on the side", so to speak. I believe this plan might actually be profitable, although I'm not sure how long it might take to reap the benefits. I've started on it already, although technically just in my mind. I'm keeping a book with me at all times to jot down notes and ideas. Will this be our meal ticket? No, I'd say not (I mean maybe in my wildest dreams, but not in the reality we live in daily). But it will definitely help, and it's something I'm good at already (as opposed to sewing, where I have issues, although I've not given up on my etsy dream yet either...just on hold).