both kids alseep, in the middle of the day? And a clean house? If only under better circumstances, I'd be leaping for joy!

Monday we had an all-day playdate with friend Luke & Kaitlyn, visiting from Oregon. Brad and Jill brought down 5 middle-schoolers and another couple for a mission trip to LA. They were here for a BUSY week (serving at 3 different places...homeless shelter for men, Women's shelter and retired missionary's homes, attending our church, sight-seeing and a day at Disneyland).

I took Luke and Kaitlyn for them on Monday while they did some work with the teens. We headed over to Travel Town, had our lunch there, rode the train and explored for a good 2 hours. Then we came back to my house and had some "quiet" time while Soren napped (the three older kids played in the den with the doll house and train sets). In my best "June Cleaver" impersonation we then baked cookies together (though from a mix, not scratch) and I let all the kids play in the bounce house while they baked. Following bounce house and other backyard activities Matt arrived home just in time to help with dinner and baths (I had promised Brad & Jill I would bathe them as it would be the only bath those two kids got all week!). We cooked easy spaghetti & meatballs and served it up with carrot sticks & ranch. All gobbled it up (Kaitlyn surprised me by eating 3 meatballs - she's usually not the biggest of eaters and a bit picky, but apparently I offered the *right* thing!).

Matt finished up eating quickly as he was headed to the World Baseball classic Final game at Dodger Stadium (lucky guy!).

Another church friend, Emmy and her mom Kathy arrived while we were still eating to have a little bit more time with Luke and Kaitlyn. This worked out well and Brad called and needed me to bring the kids down to the church as they were having some trouble with their church van and it was being worked on. I got Kathy to take them and didn't have to load my kids up and head out (being that Matt was gone already).

It was a lovely day, very enjoyable and reminded me how much I miss them and I especially miss the playdates with Sorsha and Kaitlyn. They have always played so well together (the year difference in age always helped it be smooth as opposed to playdates with the same age friends that sometimes turn rocky when both kids want the same toy, etc.).

Sorsha was VERY tired following this long day and both my kids were sound asleep BEFORE 7pm.

Unfortunately come 4am, Sorsha woke up with a 101.4º fever. She was thirsty beyond belief and burning up. ALL day Tuesday, she layed on the couch, listless and I just kept counting the minutes until I could give her another dose of tylenol or motrin. It was *BAD*. She hardly ate, but I just kept giving her the fluids. I HAD to go to the grocery store (was out of seemingly EVERYTHING but most importantly, milk for Soren). So I took them and the entire time she was complaining of the store being too cold and wanting to go home. I did it as quick as possible and got her back home and laying on the couch again, which is where she fell asleep for a nap. She voluntarily went to bed at about 6pm that evening (after having taken a 1.5 hour NAP in the afternoon!). Keeping Soren occupied and away from her (he was bothersome to her) all day was challenging but we managed.

The fevers continued all night and by morning, were really not better. I was thankful she was going to Nana's house as I knew she'd get individual attention and love. I really expected to fevers to break by that afternoon too. But they didn't. She took another nap there and when she came home that evening pretty much headed straight for bed. The fever then spiked to 105º. Yikes! She was asleep though and so we prayed it would break by morning and just kept the meds going and trying to get the fever down.

By morning the fever did break and I thought we were through it. My mom took Soren for the day and Sorsha had perked up quite a bit. We went out to lunch with daddy, but by the time we were done with that the fever was coming back and she was getting lethargic again. That's when I called the doctor; but didn't get a return call until this morning. These fevers were low-grade and she still had some energy and by then a runny nose and minor cough. Once again I was hoping it to be nearly over, but when she woke this morning it was at 101º *still*.

The doctor did call back this morning and we got her in to be examined (with another pediatrician in the office as our doctor is on vacation) as I was thinking maybe it was strep throat or something. Turns out she has an ear infection in the left ear. Its her first ear infection, we've been lucky so far to avoid that with her (Soren has already had one). She's now on antibiotics and this afternoon has fallen asleep for another nap. It's a real bummer when your child is sick. I'm glad to have a diagnosis and to know that she should be feeling better soon. This has been a pretty LONG week and I've just felt so bad for her as she's clearly been MISERABLE.