Pneumonia, Wall Flower Plug-ins, a Missing Cat and this Crazy Thing I Call My Life...

I realize I just need to face it.  My life…it’s been known to be chaotic.  And that’s putting it mildly!  Most days go by and get a little crazy here and there.  However sometimes, a tornado is unleashed. It’s like a freight train with no brakes.  The craziness just piles up!  

Last week, on top of a crazy work week, we dealt with a child who was sick.  By Friday it was clear that he wasn’t getting better…so to the doctor we went.  2 hours and one chest x-ray later…we were home with medicine for the start of pneumonia.  He was such a good boy at his x-ray, he left with this sticker.  My little hero :)

We spent the better part of the weekend trying to keep him relaxed as possible!  

***I should make mention that my sick child…the one with fever and the start of pneumonia?  He ran off from me while I handed a card to the pharmacists regarding insurance and such.  He was half way down the dog food aisle before I caught his chubby little arm.  And guess what?  He was cracking up laughing!  Go figure.  He also made it a point to say Hi to every Schnucks patron we passed on our short trip around the grocery store after leaving the pharmacy.  Oh to have the energy and will power of a toddler***

Anyway, Saturday came, the fever was gone…but the nose was still going crazy.  I got a nice afternoon break with my bestie while we took in a book signing over in the STL (more on that soon) and the boys held down the fort with a movie marathon.  

By Sunday, we were all stir crazy…Owen was a maniac because he was feeling better. Every toy and book was boring and was tossed on the floor. So we took a car ride to entertain us all. It was peaceful and long. When we got home…I took a nap!  I thought life was settling down from the worries of him being sick…I even remember thinking to myself on Sunday…I was ready for the work week.  The weekend had been good…but routine would return on Monday and that was good.  

That’s when we got a knock on our door.  4pm Sunday afternoon.

It was our neighbor Joyce.

She found our cat, our cat that went missing 3 weeks ago last Friday.  Our cat that not once since the day we rescued her from our front yard and decided to give her a home, has ever stepped back outside. I didn’t ever post anything about this because well…I was in denial that she was missing. Amazing as it is, 3 weeks later she shows up under our neighbor’s shed.  She was about half her weight…but otherwise healthy. I am SO happy to have her home!  

Happy to have her home, but when we found her I had to go out and repurchase the things we owned for her oh like a litter box, cat food. You know?  The essentials! Rack up two trips to Wal-Mart to my Sunday accomplishments!  It also took us 4 hours to coax her out from under the shed.  Mama Mia. My back was killing me and I’ve had a scratchy throat since spending the afternoon on the damp, cold ground calling Kitty Kitty.  

With luck and patience though…we got her inside, got her to eat, made her comfy in the breezeway (we separated her just to be safe until she saw the vet) and in no time all was well!  I slept like a baby that night b/c it was storming outside and I no longer was wondering where she was.  Our dog was plastered to my hip because of the thunder…Owen and Jer were snoozing peacefully and Purcey was warm and safe in our breezeway, curled up in my basket of scarves.  I was exhausted and content.  Tomorrow wouldn’t be crazy.  Tomorrow would be great!  A new week. A fresh start.

And then it was Monday. But the craziness did not cease!

Monday afternoon I took Purcey to the vet and got the all clear for her to rejoin our family in the main parts of the house again. So I promptly got her home safe and sound.  I was just settling in at home for the evening when I looked out my breezeway door to find the dog standing there waiting to be let in.  She had jumped her fence and apparently decided she wanted to come in that way!! Her battery in her collar...the one that keeps her in the fenced in part of our yard...was apparently dead. After a search of the junk drawer I swore we’d never have…I located a replacement battery for her collar.  15 minutes later (and let’s be honest a few curse words later too) Deci was happily back out in the yard…safe from taking herself on a jaunt through the woods across the street. 

Purcey safe. Deci safe.  Owen maintained.  Ok….now to make dinner.

The chaos was not meant to slow down this day…b/c it wasn’t 30 minutes after this that Owen came wandering up to me.  He smelled. And not bad…but good. I told him…you smell good!  

Then the thought slowly crept into my mind…what on earth?  My lotion?  Our Febreeze in the bathroom??  I frantically smelled him again. Praying the smell would become familiar. My mind failed to recall the scent.  After a quick search of where he’d been playing I spotted it.  My Bath and Body Works Wall Flower.  On its side.  Upon inspection I did not see any oil really missing from the glass bulb.  Just oil on the outside.  I washed his hands, face and scrubbed his mouth with a wash cloth.  I also changed his shirt.  Freaking out…I called Jer to see if I should call the doctor…or poison control.  We decided on poison control…who advise juice and to keep an eye on him. He went straight into the bathtub once I called.  They said he’d be ok if he didn’t actually drink the oil.  

Other than the highly potent scent of cherry blossom…his bath time was relatively normal.  He likes to splash and goof around. This is usually a lot of fun…and this time was no different…except he unloaded all his pent up energy from being cooped up.  And expended them on several splashes that doused my hair and shirt and arms and face.  Biggest splashes on record for him.  I think we had the Tidal Wave in our bathtub. But....he did not smell like Japanese Cherry Blossom any longer!

Once he was dry and cleaned up, he thought it’d be fun to turn the Play Station on and off 100 times.  When I told him no about that…he picked up and promptly threw down one of our absorbable coaster stones.  It broke in half and I had to clean up the pieces.  

Let me just say…some days…bed time is a blessed time.  Luckily Dadda got home in time to rescue me from the craziness so I could escape to a bubble bath and then the welcoming sight of my down comforter.

Hallelujah…it was nearly Tuesday.  The craziness just couldn’t continue on this way right??

Lucky for me…Tuesday was a very normal day in Casa De Linley.  Sing praises!

Now you know why, Jer and I have a tendency to sign Anniversary cards and notes to each other that we love our crazy life and would never change it.  I’m just glad I have a partner who is willing to dig in and loves it as much as I do…even when the going gets…crazy!!!

Here’s to crazy days that make the peaceful ones seem boring and uneventful…but oh so lovely!!