Sick day

Yesterday afternoon while Sylvia was at daycare she fell asleep during a movie. While unusual, her napping in the afternoon isn't totally unheard of, though it can mean she's sick. Her daycare (which isn't her usual one) called to let me know she was sleeping, but that otherwise she'd had a good day. I asked if she felt warm to them and they didn't think she was feverish so I kept working and left at my normal time (about 5). When I arrived to pick her up, though, she was still sleeping and, when I tried to rouse her she was lethargic and complained about a headache. When I got her home she had a fever of about 101 C.

I thought I might still be able to go to work today at least for the lab meeting and paper discussion, and just have Sylvia sit in the room with me and maybe play on the ipad during the meeting.

Then Paul curled up on a dining room chair, tightly wrapped in a blanket, and stared at the pancakes he'd requested for dinner instead of eating them.

So, today was a sick day.

It rained off and on all day, so being inside was kinda perfect and I really didn't feel guilty letting the kids watch TV and play games on my computer all day long. They didn't get overly wild at the inactivity (though bedtime wasn't quite as smooth or as quick as normal) and there weren't too many fights over what to watch or play. My kids do get along remarkably well. If they do fight I only have to find a temporary (like 2 minute) solution and they both move on. I hope it's as easy when they get older and when there are three of them competing over TV and whatnot.

Derrick is on a field trip to Kangaroo Island until Sunday, which I'm kinda grateful for. I realize when he's around I work a lot harder on certain things, like cleaning and cooking. I'm more ambitious about cooking in particular when he's around. He's also much less willing to let the kids watch TV all day. I made sure to break up the TV watching with other activities every couple of hours, but I'm perfectly happy to let my kids watch TV, while Derrick prefers the kids spend time outside.

Because Derrick wasn't here I gave myself time to cuddle with Kip when he woke up too early from his second (afternoon) nap and almost took a nap myself. I finished a book I've been working on reading for far too long. I fixed a simple dinner of mostly left-overs, only augmenting with some taco meat (which had to be made) and eggs for Paul.

I don't get many days like this. I should be more grateful for my life more often, because I do have a fantastic life. I have a great family, a small but sufficient home, a job I love. It was nice to slow down and really savor those things today--especially the family.

Tax day

In celebration of Tax Day, my husband and I came up with a list of many of the things we're blessed with as citizens of this country that we wanted to express our happiness for the opportunity to support with our tax dollars.

Gratitude for this Blessed Nation

I am grateful for the roads I drive every day and for the prosperity that freedom of movement for people and goods affords the economy.

I am grateful for an education system that is available to everyone. I am grateful to belong to an educated society.

I am grateful for police officers who enforce the law. I am grateful for a courts system that mediates disputes and guides justice.

I am grateful for the DMV that ensures people are licensed to drive, and ensures that their vehicles are safe.

I am grateful for a parks system that preserves some of the natural beauty of this land we've been blessed with.

I am grateful for the FDA that makes sure my food is safe and makes sure the drugs I sometimes need to treat illness are not snake oil.

I am grateful for the EPA that protects us from pollution, that keeps our water drinkable and our air less smoggy.

I am grateful for building codes and inspectors who make sure the buildings I spend my time in are safe.

I am grateful for social security that keeps my grandmas from living in poverty.

I am grateful for unemployment benefits, particularly in these tough economic times.

I am grateful for Medicare, Medicaid, and other welfare programs that keep people from suffering the worst of poverty.

I am grateful for NASA and their inspirational mission. I am grateful we can, and we do, dream of visiting the stars.

I am grateful for NOAA and the national weather service--especially living in tornado alley!

I am grateful for the CDC for tracking and studying diseases.

I am grateful for the USGS that helps us find and properly use our natural resources, and monitors earthquake and volcanic hazards.

I am grateful for a navy that protects us from pirates. I am grateful for the national guard, for their service in country cleaning up disasters, and out of country. I am grateful for the service of the other branches of the armed forces too!

I am grateful for air traffic control for making air travel just about the safest mode of transportation available.

I am grateful for the IRS for collecting our tax dollars--very efficiently, too!--so our government can function.

Freedom isn't free. This year, and every year, I am grateful for the opportunity to pay taxes.