Playing catch-up...

It's been way too long since my last post... keep reading, you'll understand why.

Here's the Reader's Digest version:

Sunday 12/18: Toy Show- LONG DAY
Monday 12/19: Packing to leave for TX; Celebrate Christmas with just the 5 of us; Kyle starts running a fever in the pm.
Tuesday 12/20: Scheduled day of departure for TX- NOT happening, Kyle still running a fever, obviously not feeling well.  LATE Tues pm, Kyle's fever breaks. He sweat so much I thought he'd wet the bed.
Wednesday 12/21: Still no fever, we leave for TX; arrive in St Louis. Marty starts coughing.
Thursday 12/22: See The Arch and drive to Lebanon, MO to stay with some friends. Marty's cough getting worse.
Friday 12/23: Leave Lebanon, heading for TX. Marty still coughing, slept in the car most of the day. Marty starts feeling BAD in North Dallas and asks Rick to pull over off the interstate. Marty throws up in a parking lot and passes out (landing in the former contents of her stomach) and scraping up her face on the asphalt. Rick can't get Marty to wake up. Rick calls 911. Marty "comes to" shortly before the ambulance and fire truck arrive. Medics check vitals- blood sugar a little low but not dangerously so. Marty refuses transport, but decides to get checked out at the ER near her parent's house. On arrival in Scurry, Marty (still coughing) and Dad go to ER while everyone else eats supper. Everything checks out at the ER. Marty leaves with Rx for heavy duty cough syrup and Vicodin.
Saturday 12/24: Celebrate Christmas with Marty's extended family. Marty still coughing, starts running a fever in the pm, went to bed early.
Sunday 12/25: No church for Marty- still running a fever, still coughing and VERY tired. Spent most of the day sleeping. (Everyone else went bowling) Sunday pm, fever hit 104.4.
Monday 12/26: Marty's fever down to 102.6, still coughing; called Dr. on call here at home- he said to go to the ER. Dad took Marty back to ER. Flu test negative, diagnosis- bronchitis. Rx for "Z-pack" and a different cough suppressant. Marty back home to take a nap- slept the rest of the day. (Marty still running a fever, everyone else went to the movies.)
Tuesday 12/27: Marty starting to feel human again but still coughing, took Mareks shopping in the afternoon.
Wednesday 12/28: The 5 of us went shopping in Mesquite. Introduced Mareks to Whataburger (aka manna from heaven.) Packing to head back to Ohio the next day.
Thursday 12/29: Leave for home, no mishaps. Marty slept a lot in the car.
Friday 12/30: Arrive home, start unpacking.
Saturday: As of this moment, Mareks and Joe are still alseep and I've got laundry going. I think we'll start on the Christmas decorations this afternoon.

And now, for a few photos:

Meet Mareks :-)

Our "small family" Christmas

Mareks DOES NOT like having his picture taken, so
getting a pic when he's smiling is a rarity!

Putting "the boys" to work.

McDonald's- on the way to St. Louis.

In front of the Arch

In "the egg" waiting to go up to the top
of the Arch

Mareks, Kyle (being silly) and
Joe at the Arch.

At the top

Thursday night at the Chaffin's

I love this pose/expression. It's so "teenager."

Christmas with Marty's extended family.

Joe opening "what he's always wanted!" (It was a skateboard)

blue from his vitamin

playing with silly string

Joe going for a ride around the block
on Papa's "trike".

Kyle, pouting because he wanted to
go 1st.

Double thumbs up, Kyle gets his turn.

At Chick-fil-a on the way back to Ohio. I think Joe is
explaining how to get rid of an ice cream headache.

He caught me trying to take his picture.
Notice his "bling". He already had his
ear pierced when he got here. He used
some of his Christmas $ to buy some
outrageously large earrings.

I'll post photos of my facial lacerations another day. They're on my phone and I don't have the cord handy.