Nadia's turn

Oliver was sick on Tuesday, and when his siblings were healthy on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, I thought the rest of us had escaped getting the bug. I found out on Saturday that I was wrong. Nadia had a fever and hardly any appetite yesterday. She skipped breakfast, ate a somewhat normal lunch, and then had to be cajoled into eating a very small dinner. She went to bed at 5:30 last night and didn't get out of bed until around 7:15. I knew Paul was going into work early this morning so I knew we all might have to skip church if Nadia was still sick, but when her temperature was 98.3 this morning, I got everyone ready for church. We wore red, white, and blue as I knew it was a Veteran's Day service at church this morning. The choir sang a beautiful arrangement of Battle Hymn of the Republic. One man in our choir sang a solo that was an Armed Forces medley, and people in the congregation stood when their service hymn was sung, if they are currently or have in the past served in that branch of the military. The soloist is a veteran, and he was wearing his uniform. At our church typically there are several songs that the whole congregation sings and one by the choir. Solos are rare, but today we had two. The second was sung by a Vietnam veteran who was also wearing his uniform. The selected six veterans in the congregation to honor this morning, and I was particularly moved by the one that was awarded to the parents because their son died (at the age of 21) in Iraq 13 years ago.

Nadia exited the service twice, which was highly unusual. I can't remember her ever needing to leave even once, but her stomach wasn't happy. She had eaten a bagel for breakfast. I went with her the first time, and after she threw up in the bathroom I asked her if she thought she could stay in the sanctuary for the rest of the service. She said, "yes," and so we stayed. Near the very end she ran out again. At least she is old enough to make it to the bathroom on time. I had brought my camera (and some candy corn as an incentive) and planned to stop on the way home at the park and take a few pics of three kids in their patriotic clothes, but since Nadia threw up again on the way home (in a trashcan we keep in the van for that very purpose), we just came straight home. She was wearing a red dress with a navy blue sweater, navy blue tights, and navy blue flats. She did help me out by taking a picture of me with my patriotic boys on our front porch. We left the church after the first service which meant I missed singing with the choir in the second service and attending my Sunday School class plus the kids missed their Soul Patrol rehearsal today.

At one point I had planned to take the kids to Scranton yesterday to tour a coal mine because I have decided to join the PBS station again. I had joined it two other years in the past but hadn't done so for a few years. The perks of joining include free tickets to Knoebels one day in May, free tickets to tour the coal mine in November, and free ski passes (and ski rentals) one day in January and one day in February. The two times we did it in the past it also included free tickets to Reptiland, but I don't think they do that any more. I decided a few days ago that I didn't feel like driving that far this Saturday, and I am glad I made that choice because we never left the house yesterday, which was perfect considering the fact Nadia had a fever. I am planning to join the PBS station next month, which will mean we can do the coal mine tour next November. Paul and I are planning on taking Nadia and Ian skiing on the free day in January, and my dad is planning to join the kids and I (weather permitting) on the free day in February. I am excited because they have never been skiing before, and Paul hasn't been skiing in more than 20 years. It's been more than 15 years since I skied.

Since Oliver wasn't up to taking any fall photos on Tuesday when I did Nadia and Ian's, I dressed him a fall sweater on Friday and took him outside in Milton while Nadia and Ian were playing hockey in their gym class. Today he's had at least three costumes on thus far. I snapped a photo of him dressed like a fire fighter in honor of the fire I fought four days ago. Paul said I should have had him posed next to the blackened propane tank.

Well I'm hoping that Nadia will be feeling back to normal tomorrow and that maybe just maybe Paul, Ian and I can still escape it. Oliver's only lasted for 24 hours so Nadia's has lasted longer than his did. We are planning to spend Tuesday in Lancaster so hopefully everyone will be healthy by then. Paul's parents and my dad are planning to meet us there to see Samson at Sight & Sound. We are very excited!