Good Health

This past week we have had a great reminder that good health should not be taken for granted, because it can literally be gone within a day.

On Wednesday morning Clayton woke up with a stiff neck, but we figured he had just slept wrong and didn't think much of it. Well, on Wednesday night I came home to a husband lying on the couch fighting to get warm enough to stop his teeth from chattering. By that time we figured out the culprit was an infection on his outer ear, because his left ear was very painful and starting to swell. By 4 AM his fever hit 103 and he had been piling on and pulling off blankets all night. Did I mention I got to stay up with him? I never thought nighttime feedings for the baby could ever seem so far apart. They usually come too fast!

By the next morning his ear was twice its normal size, so we got some antibiotics. Well, Friday came and the fevers and chills were still there and the ear began to blister, so we switched to a more powerful antibiotic that evening. Bad move. Apparently, Clayton's body does not tolerate augmentin anymore, because at 4AM (after only one pill) he was vomiting and was the worse he had been yet. The infection was also beginning to spread to his neck, so on Saturday we headed to the hospital. Needless to say, they drew blood and put him on IV antibiotics for a few days. They worked like magic! The redness that was spreading down his neck disappeared and the swelling is slowly starting to go down. Finally! Progress!

As of this morning I had a more coherent husband...or maybe it just seemed that way since I got more sleep, too... :) He is still not 100%, but at least he can carry on a conversation now...and remember it. It is nice, because I no longer feel like a single mother with three kids.

Don't worry, I took pictures and am sharing them with you... it's the med student in me. Sorry if you think they are gross. Viewer discretion advised :)

Healthy Right Ear

Swollen Ear on Day #1 (Thursday)

Day #2

Day #3 - After visit to hospital

Day #5 - Today

Looking more like an ear than a balloon

Christmas Day

This year was the first time that our little family did not have to travel for Christmas. Instead we had the pleasure of hosting BOTH families in our apartment. It was a very exciting experience and it worked out well in many ways. In the first place, we were able to bless Celeste with both sets of grandparents here. Secondly, it helped ease the pain of not having Shelby or Kendahl (our younger sisters) around since they are both serving missions. As Clayton would say, "It was a happenin' time," especially since we had to take shifts at our little square table eating Christmas dinner :)

Christmas Eve

Stockings...we were short a few, so we improvised with bowls and pitchers :)

Christmas Day

Juliet was very excited to wake up Christmas morning and find out that Santa brought her a kitchen! Here she is making a cup of hot chocolate.

...After Church

Our sweet little family.

The Tans came and joined the fun, too.

Our big, happy family...minus a few sisters.

Opening Christmas gifts.

Celeste