Going . . . Going . . . I Want It Gone!!!!

The week before Easter we had a ferocious wind.  I blame it for my dry throat.  I went from sounding like Barry White to Darth Vader to null.  On Tuesday I sounded and felt like I had swallowed razor blades.

Jenna went to school on Monday but stayed home the rest of the week.  She is normally quite a horrible patient.  But she actually stayed in bed for two days – except when she was throwing up – which I never shared.  Grateful for that.  On the other hand I have a cough that Jenna doesn’t.

So we sprawled in bed all day Tuesday.  I took her to the doctor on Wednesday – though driving with her when she is ill seems to make it even worse as she gets car sick on top of whatever else she had.  She threw up just before the bus parked at the final destination.

A throat culture was given – just to rule out strep.  The doctor said she had a virus and that we would just have to wait it out.  Oh, joy.  Wish there was a medicine given to prevent strep.

Jenna fell asleep on the bus on the return home.  She slept most of the day.  We both did.

She bounced back after two days – not good enough to go to school, but certainly more energetic than staying in bed.

The doctor’s office contacted me on Friday to say that Jenna had strep and they would call in a prescription.  If Jenna had strep, than I probably did also.  I made an appointment for myself to see a doctor.  I chose a time when Roland could take me so that we wouldn’t have to ride the bus again.

So on the Friday before Easter, Jenna and I both started our ten day treatment with antibiotics.  Just what every child would like in his/her Easter basket, right?  Amoxillan, Penicillin, cough drops, etc.  Jenna’s prescription came in liquid form.  I, on the other hand, had cough capsules in addition to the horse pill infection fighter.

When Roland’s family arrived in town, we were still on medication.  They had come for Biff and Jeanie’s wedding. 

It was cold on the temple grounds though it didn’t start out that way.  Roland’s family, used to the Arizona weather, was freezing.  I had extra jackets.  I passed them out to some family members and stood bare armed when I got cold myself.

Bill took lots of pictures.  It was the first wedding photo with family members represented from the boys’ mom’s side of the family and their dad’s side of the family as well as my own.  The first wedding in which all three boys were in attendance.

Gradually all of the family members left except for Biff and Jeanie and Bill.  Bill led the other two around temple square and posed them and took many many pictures.  He led them around for at least two hours.

Twelve of us went to an Italian restraint downtown Salt Lake.  

There was a ceremony the following day – Saturday.  It rained.  It rained and rained and never let up.  I am certain that the rain kept several away.  I think the ceremony would have been better attended in nicer weather.  Still it was nice.  Different.  At least from my point of view.  Just isn’t what I am used to.

In the past, Jenna has always delighted in the role of “flower girl” hoping to throw flower pedals as portrayed in television and movie weddings. It isn’t typical of the “Mormon-theme” however.  But on Saturday she did get to do just that.

Jeanie and her mom bought lavender dresses for her two nieces and Jenna and Ester.  Anna wore blue.  Kayla had asked if we would watch her.  As usual, Jenna took Anna under her wing.  And Jeanie’s mom made her an honorary flower girl.

Rochelle walked beside two-year-old Ester who had absolutely no clue.  When Rochelle pulled out the flowers to toss as she moved, Ester’s first instinct was to pick them up and return them to the basket.

Ten-year-old Jenna walked with four-year-old Anna who was beaming from ear to ear – probably not fully understanding it herself, but having fun with it.  They both did.

Their bishop introduced the ring ceremony and presented ring trivia and customs.  It was interesting. 

There was a luncheon that followed.  Anna danced with Bill when he wasn’t taking pictures. 

The next day I went to Church and attempted to teach two lessons though I really didn’t have much voice.

The first was Relief Society.  I had agreed to step in for Angie as she was not feeling well.  I imagined that she might have been feeling as I had the week before Easter.

Class went really well.  Lots of participation.  I didn’t really feel I had personally taught anything. 

And then I taught the youth class for the last time.  I’ve been called to be the enrichment leader.  I can’t even imagine.

Randy stops by the house once a week – mostly to fill his belly with cereal.  Sometimes he mows the lawn.  Mostly he complains about school and math.  I understand his frustration with math.  I have never learned the language.  

The average person who takes required math course will need to understand and do math terms for just that class.  The average person will never ever need to know that stuff in real life.  The average person will never use any of that again.  So why learn it?  Randy and I both feel that it’s pointless. 

Jenna LOVES math.  I hope that she always loves math.  I don’t mind her learning the math language.  But please, don’t confuse my brain by trying to explain it to me.  You might as well be speaking Japanese or Hungarian from what I’m going to get out of it.

April was an odd month.  Mostly cold.  Colder than November was. 

My throat has stopped hurting.  But I am out of pills.  And I still have my cough.  I want it gone.  And I don’t want the sinus pains to return.  We have to move to a wetter climate with no wind.  That’s my solution.