It all started when Dan took his first trip for work since I had Maddie, the first time I had all 4 on my own for an extended amount of time. It was harder than I thought, but we all survived. I learned several things from that trip, the most important being that if activity days (my current calling in the church) happens when Dan is out of town that I need to get someone to cover for me, and doing that is just fine. This was the first time the situation had arisen (it has happened a couple of times since) and I got a sitter for the oldest 3 and took Maddie with me. By the time I was done with the activity, got home to get the kids to bed it was entirely too late, especially for a school night - so never again if I can help it! (Not to mention now that Maddie is mobile, having her with me would be just this side of impossible.)
Then the storm hit, I ate a really late dinner that night, finished my "work" (office work that is) and headed to bed way past midnight - my usual MO when Dan is out of town - not much I can do to change that, but I digress. I was up SICK all night long - I convinced myself that it was what I ate and because I ate it so late. Then next day didn't get any better - I got Nate & Abbie off to school & then did what I needed to do to survive the day - I was miserable & there was no relief in sight. I finally started feeling like I was getting past things that evening - which was a relief to me since the next day was Abbie's Kindergarten graduation, and with Dan out of town I felt I really needed to be there for her big day (which I was both looking forward to and dreading - from a purely logistical point of view).
Kindergarten graduation was a BUST. Abbie woke up and said she didn't want to go to school, but it was only 3 hours and her special day so I talked her into going - she got to wear her fancy dress after all. She decided she would go. I got Nate & Abbie off to school, and still feeling less than stellar I got the little girls ready and off to the school we went for Abbie's big day. I had both little girls in the double stroller and we parked ourselves near the back door (as out of the way as I could muster) and we waited for the big moment.
Abbie's teacher, Mrs. Smith, giving us the run down of events.
They had a little mini procession, Abbie was all smiles.
Getting her "diploma"
They sang a couple of songs (Kindergarten Cute - "Each of us is a Flower") and then posed for pictures
Half a smile
Super "Cheese"y Smile
Is she still taking pictures?!
Then Abbie just checked out. 
Everyone brushed off Abbie getting sick as heat & nerves (the room was SOOO Hot), and I was hopeful that was it, as I was still thinking my ickyness was due to what I ate. We walked around the corner of the school to Nate's classroom, I knocked on the door & let his teacher know what had happened & asked if I could check Nate out early (at that point it was only 20 minutes early) and she said he was in the bathroom, but sure. He came back to the class I told him to get his things, say goodbye that we were leaving early. When he came out he told me he had just thrown up in the bathroom. All hope then went out the window. We were all sick & it wasn't going to be any fun. We came home immediately, got "cozy" and took care of what needed to be taken care of until Dan got home late the next day. Maddie never got sick which I was grateful for, but it sure beat the rest of us up. It even tackled Dan once he got home. I wasn't very empathetic I'm afraid. As he was complaining about being sick I told him "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I can't help you get better, but I can promise I won't leave you home with 4 kids alone while you are sick." I think I got my point across, and true to my word, I kept my promise - I even took all 4 kids to church on my own that Sunday so he could rest and get a nap in a quiet house, something that I would have given anything for when I had been sick. So as much as could have probably been a little kinder about it, I did try to help him as much as I could. Even though (truth be told) I was grumpy about just getting myself & the kids better & I now had a sick hubby to take care of.
I am grateful that it's all in the past now (although I was a little surprised how vivid the memory was when I stated to document it all) - the best news is we all came through it with no lasting effects/scars - physical or mental. When I was working on the post Abbie watched over my shoulder for a bit, I asked if she remembered that day - "I forgot all about it", THANK GOODNESS! Hopefully she won't be upset with me for documenting it, but hey it's what happened.
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