Let's start with the minuses, shall we? Like our bank account after Christmas, for one. Or like Phoenix erasing my mom's hard drive on Christmas eve. Yes, that's right. I have no idea how a two year-old erases and completely re-formats a computer, since I'm sure I have no idea how to do that. It's not like there's some big flashing button that says ERASE ME somewhere. And I had used the computer only moments before, turned around to finish my phone conversation, and looked back to see Phoenix sitting there in front of a really funky screen that said ATTEMPTING SYSTEM RECOVERY. That was the point where my stomach dropped and I immediately contemplated what moment during the Christmas festivities would be the best to tell your mother that you just lost everything on her computer. Especially knowing that she had been working on a 200+ page life history of her aunt, numerous family history files.... and she had no computer backup.
I guess the other minuses would be the amount of sickness that got passed around over Christmas, staying up all night with kids that couldn't breathe and finally calling my pediatrician at 2am and begging her to call in some steroids or something, and more of me getting sick and throwing up while extremely pregnant. Although that didn't seem to result in any more minuses on the scale, and instead I seemed to gain an average of 2 lbs a week over my three-plus week stint there. Yikes, I hope that sure doesn't keep up. I did manage to lose a good deal of my field of vision as pertaining to the lower half of my body, and my discomfort increased about 10 fold. Which made me realize if I had been scared to fly out by myself with three kids pregnant, I was terrified to fly back even more pregnant, this time with all of us totally sick and hacking up a lung, having to wake the kids up four hours earlier than they were used to waking up to get to our flight, and then realizing we had TWO layovers on the way home. Yes, we endured a good many tantrums on the plane. Yes people stared at our hacking brood in disgust silently praying they didn't have to sit by us. Yes, I finally just shut my eyes and ignored everything while everyone craned around to see who was throwing an absolute fit the whole descent since my child wanted nothing but to play with the seat tray in front of him and to get "OUT!!!!!" And yes I again just stood there and watched and waited when the other twin lay on the jetway off the plane in complete tantrum-y meltdown so I just scooted his flailing body over so at least everyone could walk past us on their way off the plane. I'm sure it was an amusing sight for everyone passing all of us, all our gear, my big belly, and my flopping child. And I'm sure it reassured those praying passengers that didn't end up by us that their prayers had been answered. But yes, I was rather grateful for the miracle of Benadryl that had at least made the first few hours of the flight more tolerable.
So yes, the computer in the shop explains the lack of holiday blogging. We tried our best to get it all figured out before we left. Ryan said it was taking 10 years off his life trying to put her computer back together and I spent my "restful" holiday up until 1am every night looking one by one through the 50,000 items that were recovered (most of them junk). Thankfully most of my mom's documents were recovered, except not all of the family history stuff and never the final draft of the life history in all it's glory. :( Some previous drafts in good form, and probably the latest mingled in with a corrupted and funky version of itself. So sorry about that.
Oh, and we'll be looking for a good deal on a DVD player to send you since Phoenix probably broke that at your house too. Um, happy holidays! Bet you can't wait for us to come next year!
9 comments:
Oh, life.
As they say, just you wait, you'll be missing these days. Hmm.
Love your blog, Jen.
Oh, Jen! I don't think you will be missing "these" days in the future. Just don't forget how it was when your twins come to visit with their own hard drive erasing kids. Thanks for the cut. It looks divine of course.
you are the perfect mom for 4 boys...because you are still joking about the chaos that comes with them =)
You are brave--we gave up flying a long time ago ;).
Keep praying about those lost family history documents and drafts. I've heard of similar losses, but then, later, they are found and fully recovered! Good luck!
Seriously, this may take the cake. There is something wrong in this world if a child can unintentionally erase a hard drive.
I'm so soryr. I imagined your flight in my mind and just so you know, I would've helped you up the jetway :)
OMG! Kids and technology never seem to work out.
Thank god for your sense of humor.
I am laughing SO HARD - because so much of this is like my life (of a few years ago.) When I was in it I thought it would never end or get better - but it really does get a little easier as they get older. Gradually. Even the fact that J&J are now both in boosters & Em is in a regular seat belt & we can switch cars & they can buckle themselves & it isn't torture to get the in & out of the car makes going places joyful! (BTW - my hard drive got erased last Christmas.)
AND - shame on all those other passengers for not helping you. If I was there I totally would have.
You will be posting some holiday photos, will you not?
I do not have Facebook!
xoxocyh
Two layovers, three kids, and alone? I think your brain is being taken over by your growing baby! ;) Although, even after all of that, I am sure it was worth it to be with your family. Can't believe you only have one more month(ish), right?
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