How the Weekend Played Out

Friday morning we woke up with two fever-free, hungry kids. Connor wasn't totally his normal self, but by the afternoon he was outside playing basketball.

I wasn't doing as well as the kids. I like to get as much done as early as possible when I've got something big going on. I had spent Thursday researching what time all the stores I needed to go to opened, so that I could get as much done before lunch as possible. Instead, I was at home pacing the floor and waiting on Chip to get home. I could have spent that time cleaning up, except that I had two kids at home who were working to destroy any progress I might make on that front. But Chip got home by 10:30, and I was able to get everything done in plenty of time. Tiffany came over a little early to help with a few things (she received requests like "Can you go upstairs and wrap the present I bought for this shower?") and I did need Gina's help to get one plate of food ready, but by 7:00 everything was where it should be. We had a really fun night, and the Millfills got a lot of good presents.

At 12:45 am, Mom called to see if anyone was in good enough shape to drive to her house and pick up Connor. It seems he woke up with a bad nose bleed. Once he realized blood was all over his pants he refused to sleep in those pants, but once he got the pants off he refused to sleep without pants. You can see his dilemma. The only answer to his problem was to scream and cry and beg for his Mommy. Chip went and fetched him, and I got him into acceptable pjs and tucked safely into his own bed without further incident. Poor guy! He had a rough couple of days.

Speaking of rough, I spent the next morning cleaning up from the party and seriously regretting staying up until 3:30 am. Shannon and Carrie, unburdened by children of their own, slept long and hard while the rest of us were up in the seven o'clock hour. Eventually I managed to get a shower and get dressed in time to greet the Chockleys and ooh and aah over Sherri's fantastic new haircut. Mom and Tiffany came over and we all headed down to the O.B. at 2:00 for a ladies-only bridal shower.

This shower was also loads of fun, mainly because I had no part in preparing for it or cleaning up after. It was also nice to see all the family friends who you generally only see at parties like these. The Millfills made out like bandits at this party, which is always fun. I think having their first two parties really made the wedding seem more real, like it might actually happen. I know sometimes when you're doing all the planning it's hard to imagine it will ever come together. A full set of Calphalon cookware does wonders for a frazzled bride-to-be's mindset.

So Shannon and Carrie were having a fabulous weekend and then WHAM! Shannon woke up Sunday morning with the stomach flu, way worse than any of the rest of us have had it. Fever, vomiting, the other thing, the headache that comes with dehydration- the full compliment of stomach flu symptoms. He spent the whole day thinking he would get past it and they could get in the car and go, but by mid-afternoon he realized there was no chance. Carrie called in a sub, emailed some lesson plans, and they settled in for another night in Memphis. Hopefully it will run through him in 12 hours or so like it did for the rest of us, and they can get on the road tomorrow.

We had a perfectly lovely Sunday morning with the Chockleys and evening with Carrie, but we'll save that for another blog post. I don't want Shannon to think I'm rubbing it in.