Illness and Injury

 October wasn't exactly our best month to date.  Christian got sick first, then I did, then Kelly.  I had it the worst. Christian had it the longest.  Fever, muscle aches, loss of appetite, fatigue, vomiting, headache, congestion, etc etc etc.  When that started to clear, then came the cough that never quit.  Christian and I were both diagnosed with pneumonia, Kelly's lungs luckily stayed liquid-free but his cough could really strike fear into anyone who heard it.

Then, as if that weren't bad enough, on a day when I was trying to rally and be a good mom rather than a tired lump, I broke my finger.  Christian had wanted to play football and I figured  as long as I'm not currently hacking up a lung (although I did have a fever), I should go get some fresh air and toss the ball around.  The pass went wide but I went for it anyway.  Big mistake.  It hit the tip of my left ring finger, overstretched the tendon causing it to tear away from the bone, taking a little bit of bone with it.  (A textbook "mallet finger injury" leading to "bone avulsion" for any of you who'd like to google it.)  Christian has not let me live it down that I'm so weak a football broke my finger.  I remind him that I know where he sleeps and he better knock it off.

In conclusion, October has been the month of gratitude for modern medicine and good health insurance as nearly all of us have visited at least one doctor and been on at least one round of antibiotics and I'm now sporting a fancy new made-for-me finger splint and have multiple follow-up x-rays and appointments scheduled.  On to November and hopefully better things....I typed that as Peter coughed violently from his bedroom.  Great, another one bites the dust.

Some pictures to brighten the mood:

Halloween and my 47th birthday - that morning I was at the doctor getting another antibiotic, but later in the day we carved pumpkins, decorated sugar cookies, went trick-or-treating (only Peter this year - the kids are all getting so old!), and delighted in the spoils.  I coughed the entire evening, but managed to avoid it while on people's porches.

This cutie has become a reading champ.  He's reading beginner chapter books and loves to read the scriptures with us in the evening, often needing very little help when his turn to read comes around.  This is how I find him many times during the day.

His school picture wasn't worth ordering, but definitely worth downloading from their website.  (Don't mind the watermark. hehe)

He's still loving his new room and bed.  He'll frequently go to bed in the middle of the day with extra blankets and call to me, "Come take a picture of how cozy I look!"

Bella had her fall band concert.  She sounded amazing.  She always practices so hard.  I'm so impressed.  I only wish I could see her better during the concerts!

She also spends a lot of time with friends.  Here she was headed to a dance with some girls from church.  I love the athletic shoes with dresses fashion trend nowadays.  Why couldn't that have been a thing when I was that age?!  So much more comfortable!