Lemme out! I've had enough!

It's been a big week here at the little green house.

What's going on?

On Monday morning I dropped in at Jacqui's, where another friend had also coincidentally dropped in, and we had a lovely morning chatting about school and children.

One might call it gossiping, but one might also call it encouraging for each of us to share how our families are doing. That turned out to be the high point of my week, it's been mostly downhill from there.

Okay ... this isn't funny ...

On Tuesday I kept Laura at home, she'd been coughing in the night.

We went to the doctor, suspecting whooping cough.

I wanna put my feet on solid ground again ....

The (young, inexperienced) doctor didn't think it was whooping cough.

But I'd been on the lookout for it in our family, ever since my niece had it in early January.

While we were in the waiting room at the doctor's, my good friend Tanya rang, distressed.

Her parents had phoned her, having just survived the Christchurch earthquake.

From then on we watched the devastation and heartache that was unfolding on our television.

So much tragedy.

So much teamwork.

So much trauma.

So much to do.

Tanya's parents were at a conference, not in the worst part of Christchurch, and made their way to an open area. From then on, between lots of phonecalls back and forth, they found shelter for the night and managed to get on a flight and arrive home, with only the clothes on their backs, very late on Wednesday night.

I followed along with almost as much intensity as if it had been my own parents.

In the meantime, on Wednesday morning

I received a call to say that Laura had tested positive to whooping cough!

Not funny ...

So I've been busy since then, contacting school, teachers, my students, church people, everyone who needs to know that we won't be around for a little bit. All that takes time.

I've been looking after a girl who's sick but not too sick, who likes attention.

Since she's missing quite a bit of school I feel the pressure for her to do a little schoolwork, at least, and not watch TV all day long!

I've been dealing with a doctor who is learning along with me (well, actually learning after me) the regulations about isolation and antibiotics for whooping cough, especially after Laura was quite ill after going on the antibiotics.

Just trapped ...

There have been lots of discussions, lots of googling, and lots of decisions to make.

I've been trying to keep happy an older sister who has to keep going to school while her sister gets to stay home and "have fun".

I've had to cancel my plans for 2 weeks, and stay home.

I love staying home, but not quite so much when I have to stay home.

And I'm finding I'm not getting to any of my list of projects.

After 6 years of child-free Februaries, I'm not coping very well with this!

I'm learning to value being outdoors when I can, and took a long walk this evening.

Music helps, and reading Psalms.

And last night while walking in the garden I discovered something small and cute running into the bushes - it was a quail!!!

Being grateful for small mercies.

It's not so bad, after all .... just a little too much all at once.

And nothing ...

... nothing whatsoever ...

compared to what people are experiencing in Christchurch.

(All styling and stunts by Laura)

{which was lots of fun till I wanted to get something out of the pantry }