I'll Just Have Salt

I have been sick for four days now. I woke up Saturday with a splitting headache. Against better judgment I went to the gym anyway, completed my workout, and headed home. By the time I got home I was miserable and my stomach was cramping. I did okay the rest of the day, but by the late evening was beside myself.

By Sunday I was bed ridden. I got up twice to fiddle on the computer, only having to return to bed because I was too achy and dizzy. I was fortunate that my husband was home because he had to take care of the kids all day, while I slept or lay on the couch miserable. My daughter though was very sweet. She came into bed with me and spent an hour rubbing my arms, kissing me, and rubbing lotion on my legs, saying "Does that feel good mommy?"

Later on when I made it downstairs to the couch she came and covered me up with a blanket I had just made her this week saying, "Are you still sick mommy?" When I said that I was she said, "Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you. Just lay here." Such a sweetheart. It made me want to will myself to get up and play with her, but I just didn’t have the strength.

Monday I felt better except for the thought of food absolutely made my stomach churn. The interesting thing that is by Sunday night I was craving salt. Not food with salt, but plain salt. I’ve never had that craving before; I don’t really even like a lot of salt on my food in general. So, I don’t know what that is about, but for whatever reason I got it in my head that salt would make my stomach feel better.

Late Monday night I finally decided to eat some fries and dumped a ridiculous amount of salt on them. Oddly enough it calmed my stomach for a few hours. As I sit here this morning typing with a terribly upset stomach I wonder yet again if salt is the answer. In general it would sound so disgusting, but right now it literally sounds like it would put the fire out that is in my stomach.

Anyone else have any weird cravings when you are sick?

I Know Noses

Me: Your nose looks swollen. Did you hurt it?
Hubby: No. What does it look like?
Me: Just bigger than it did earlier.
Hubby: (goes and looks in mirror) No, it's the same size it's always been.
Me: I don't think it was that big before.
Hubby: Yeah, pretty sure it has always been this size.
Me: Hmm
Hubby: You think my nose is big?
Me: No, it's not big. It fits your face perfectly. I just thought it looked a little swollen.
Hubby: I don't think it's swollen. So, my huge, gigantic nose fits my huge, gigantic face?
Me: (laughing) No, neither your face nor your nose are huge.
Hubby: So, then it's just my huge nose on my regular sized face?
Me: (hysterically laughing now) No, your nose is not huge. (So and so) has a huge nose. You do not have a huge nose.
Hubby: I guess me and my gigantic nose will sit over here then.

** For the record, my husband does not have a big nose. It is completely proportionate to his face which is also within the normal range in size (Husband wanted me to point that out)

Bonnie Hunt Show/Warner Brothers Giveaway Winner

Thanks to all who participated in the Bonnie Hunt Show/Warner Brothers Giveaway by either commenting on this blog or emailing me. Thanks also to Eric Hansen at M80 Advertising for including this blog in the giveway.

Without futher ado, the winner of a Bonnie Hunt Show shirt, mug and a copy of the book Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks is Cass.

Cass, I have sent you an email with the specifics. Please let me know when you receive the package from Eric and send me a picture with your loot, if you’d like. Congratulations!!!

Thanks again to all who participated.

Nebraska Safe Haven Law Needs Revision

I wrote a post a while back about the Safe Haven law in Nebraska (see here ) and how I felt that dropping off your teenagers was not part of the original intent of the law.

Well, today an article came out about a man who dropped off his 9 children because he felt he could not take care of them anymore. Click here to read.

Growin' Up

My daughter woke up last night after having a bad dream. So, I walked her back to bed and sat with her a while as she drifted off. Just looking at her I noticed how much she has changed recently. She no longer has the face of a baby, but rather one of a little girl. She has lost all baby fat and is now rail thin and tall. Her face is becoming more angular and defined. Gone are the chubby baby cheeks of her early days. She is three afterall, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, but it still caught me off guard.

Then I thought about what an awesome responsibility it is to be her mother. She's kind, caring, smart, and compassionate. She's so fun to be around and the conversations she and I have are amazing. She's independent, not easily swayed, and a deep and serious thinker. I am often amazed at the connections she makes and insights she has. I just can't help but wonder when she became this little person. This person so capable.

When I look at my son I see the beginnings of this same transformation. He's becoming his own person. Still dependent on me and my husband but testing out his own independence. He has his own ideas about how he wants things and while it can be frustrating I love that both children know what they want and aren't afraid to go after it.

I guess the ultimate goal of parenting is to produce self-sufficient, industrious and independent adults who are kind, honest, loyal, loving, and compassionate. I guess I just didn't think so much of that would come so soon.

Write It When I'm Gone

I am about halfway through a book entitled Write It When I'm Gone by Thomas DeFrank (click on title of blog post for more information). DeFrank was a young Newsweek reporter covering Gerald Ford when he was Vice President. Over the years they developed a friendship. In one conversation prior to Nixon resigning, Ford let slip a statement he did not want made public. He made DeFrank swear he wouldn't print it until he was dead. This began a 30 + year relationship and series of interviews that DeFrank agreed not to publish until Ford had passed on.

The book is very interesting and provides great insight into the thought process behind Nixon's pardon. Ford also speaks candidly about personal impressions of both Presidents that came before and after him. It covers in depth his bitterness toward Ronald Reagan. A bitterness that didn't subside until Reagan announced he was suffering from Alzheimer's.

Something I read today that really stuck with me was his assessment on Hillary Clinton and the possibility of a woman President. In the late 1990's Ford predicted that Hillary would run for President in 2004 or 2008 and that while he believed she would get the nomination he did not believe she would win the election. DeFrank then followed that assessment by asking Ford if he thought we would ever have a female President. Ford's answer could end up being eerily prophetic if McCain and Palin are elected. He said that he felt the first time a woman became President it would be the result of one of the parties picking a female Vice Presidential candidate, getting that ticket elected to office, and then the President would die in office thus making the female VP the new President. He said once that happened that male candidates would be number 2 and that we could expect to see other female Presidents.

Quite interesting that a decade later the scenario is playing out. It is also a possibility that if the Republican party is elected that due to McCain's age he could die in office, making Palin the top dog.

I still have half the book to go, but I have enjoyed learning more about President Ford, both as a President but more importantly as a person. He appeared to be a man of great conviction with a strong moral compass.

Interview on The Bonnie Hunt Show

Please click on the blog title to watch the clip. Sorry that this is late. Eric (at M80) was waiting on the clip from WB. Don't forget to comment for your chance to win a Bonnie Hunt mug, tshirt, and the book Nights In Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks.

Thanks and Good luck!