Lord, have Mercy

So, I thought I got my deployment bad luck out of the way the day after Nick left when we all had to go to the vet to learn Molly had bacterial growth in her ears and Darla had yeast in hers requiring packing every two weeks fro 6 weeks.  But then I thought it was when Hannah dropped two pennies into my gear shift and the technician at the Toyota repairs department told me I couldn't wait to have the car inspected because of the damage the change could do.  So, after the notoriously miserable 15 month vaccines, I dragged all the kids to the dealership, during nap time no less, to have the situation rectified.  I will say, I was BLOWN AWAY by the customer service...They knew I was coming with all of my kids and they, very kindly, escorted us to the play room as soon as I arrived and did everything they could to make us comfortable.  A little too comfortable, maybe, because both twins needed to evacuate their bowels and we required two trips to the bathroom for a potty run and for supplies to clean our snack and sippy explosion.  We were out of there an hour and a half later, and all things considered, I don't think it could have gone any better...Except for James banging on the showroom window to announce himself.  I was counting my blessings that I hadn't really gotten hit with the rotten luck I usually do when Nick is away...

Christmas was wonderful.  Afterwards, we holed up at home and played with toys, only really leaving to get groceries.  In that one solitary outing, Emmy and I somehow managed to contract strep throat.  I can't remember the last time I was that sick.  I wasn't able to eat anything for a couple of days, which led to some serious muscle weakness, made worse only by the fact that Emmy was requiring some serious TLC.  There was no conceivable way I could physically manage taking all of the kids to the doctor with me so that Emmy, my new bed buddy, and I could acquire some meds.  By the grace of God, our babysitter, Emily, was available on New Year's Day and came over to watch the three littles while Emmy and I went to the walk-in clinic.  After waiting an exceedingly long time with all of the other sick people in Clarksville, we both tested a resounding positive on our rapid strep tests and were finally on our way to pick up our meds.  Only we missed the pharmacy by 20 minutes due to their modified holiday schedule.  I told myself that the hard part was behind us-getting in to see the doctor for the diagnoses and prescriptions-and that we'd be the first ones in the drive-through the next morning.  18 hours and we'd be on our way to wellness.

A couple of days later, things were beginning to look up.  I suppose things were going a little too well, because that's when our next assault came.  Sunday morning  Emmy came down with a high fever.  After being on antibiotics for three days, I was concerned that she had a secondary viral infection.  Monday morning, I dragged all of the kids back to the walk in clinic to learn that Emmy now has the flu--which the only conceivable place she could have contracted it was the walk in clinic when we were diagnosed with strep throat.  We literally hadn't left the house since then.  They quarantined us in a back room to test the twins because they fall in the high risk group and to determine their dosage of Tamiflu.  Luckily, they both tested negative and were therefore prescribed a precautionary dose of Tamiflu for 10 days.  We FINALLY left the clinic for Kroger to pick up the twins' meds and a few food stuffs since we were running low.

My precious Emmy was struggling mightily with a 103 degree fever, terrible body aches and fatigue, but dutifully kept up with me while we tore through the store.  I felt like I was in a supermarket dash game show, pulling things off shelves while practically running through the aisles.  We finally made it back to the car at 2, no one had eaten lunch and we were well into nap time, and the kids were having a hard time hanging.  I strapped everyone into their seats and finally exhaled.  I then went to look for my phone, praying that Nick would call so that I could regale all of the days events.  But I couldn't find it.  Which is not unusual, anytime it's in plain view, one of my kiddos steals it.  I emptied my purse and tore through the car and still couldn't find it anywhere.  I remembered that the last time I saw it was when we got into the car after leaving the walk in clinic.  The kids had attempted the passcode too many times and it had been disabled for 15 minutes.  I remember looking at it feeling annoyed and then put it down in what I thought was my purse on the center console.  I drove through the pharmacy to ask if I accidentally left it there...Nope.  I parked again, took a moment to breathe and then and apologized to my very sick little girl and those who were now sleeping, that we had to go back into the store and retrace our steps.  We went back in and straight to customer service.  Apparently no one had turned in my pink phone, so the nice associate offered to call it, which immediately picked up to voicemail.  Something was clearly not right.  My phone was fully charged and I never turn it off...and I also now remember that I had left my car door unlocked while we went into the store. :( It's becoming clear that my phone was stolen from my center console.  Knowing that there was no way for anyone to get ahold of me, let alone for me to call for help while quarantined to the house with a sick kid, I was desperate for resolution.  

We went to Verizon to see if they could track my phone, but to no avail.  I was committed to finding an old phone at home after learning the ridiculous price tag on all the phones-even flip phones- at Verizon.  As I pulled out of the parking lot, an unfamiliar warning light illuminated on my car dashboard, and after reviewing my owner's manual at the next red light I learned that it was my air pressure warning.  It was almost 3 in the afternoon, and at this point the kids were crying for food.  I grabbed them Chick-Fil-A and then found the nearest gas station air pump to check my tires.  Luckily, the extreme cold temperature was to blame and it was an easy fix.  Even still, I was very much maxed out with the curve balls pummeling me.  As I drove home on the freeway, the truck directly in front of me spit out shards of glass from the truck bed.  I seriously can't even make this stuff up.  After clearing away the debris with my windshield wipers, I notice that the bottom of my windshield was nicked in the process.

We got home and I, thankfully, located an old phone that Kris and JP lent us for Nick to use until he gets his upgrade when he returns home.  I attempted to activate the phone with the directions the helpful person at Verizon had given to me, but it wouldn't work.  Of course.  I kept getting a message telling me to try from a phone other than the one I was activating, which is all fine and good except I DON'T HAVE any other phone.  So, I fed the kids (FINALLY) and wake my sweet sick girl to go back to Verizon to have them help me activate the phone before they closed and I was phoneless for the night.

When we got there, I made the grave mistake of not putting Sis in the Ergo on my back.  She was fired up (probably from eating a meal and a half all day and no nap) and was tearing through the busy store.  James pulled Julia's hair while they sat in their stroller and she let out a blood-curdling scream and dissolved into tears.  I pulled her out of the stroller as quickly as I could, and that's when Hannah jumps in and initiates a game with James where he "pushes" her out of the stroller and she dives onto the floor.  Meanwhile, Emmy is sleeping on the bench.  After many well-deserved annoyed looks, I left with a working phone and my over-tired kids.  

Six days into her amoxicillin treatment for strep throat, Emmy woke up with hives head-to-toe, and a patch of ring worm on her right shoulder, the twins are cutting multiple new teeth, some of which appear to be molars, we are in the throes of potty training a newly-weaned-from-milk-bottles Hannah because not only were they (the bottles and the diapers) becoming behavior issues but, well, it was (past) time and we are stuck at home anyways.  And Nick's return flight has been delayed...twice.  Lord, please have Mercy.