Mother's Day and MRSA ... nice combination,don't you think?

I'll start with the good and then jump to the ugly and trust me, it has been ugly around here!

"God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers." ~Jewish Proverb

I am so very blessed to be doing the only thing I truly ever aspired to do and that is to be a mother.I will never understand how Someone thought I was worthy enough to be entrusted with these six simply amazing human beings.And now we have the precious Charlotte to add to this extraordinary mix.Blessed and beyond lucky am I,that is for sure.



The beautiful Caitlin and Charlotte on Mother's Day at the San Diego Zoo.Boy do I miss them.

My Mother's Day was perfect.No frills.No fuss.Just perfect.Well,would have surpassed perfect if Caitlin,Danny and Charlotte had been here but they stayed in La Jolla and spent time with Danny's mom.I was spoiled with some gift cards to a few of my favorite places, a pair of new flip-flops,seeing I live in them practically year round,and even have a few surprise presents arriving this week.Nothing like spreading Mother's Day out over 7 days!

I always adore the homemade gifts the little ones make in school and this year,I almost cried when I opened my special gift from Miss Zoey.Zoey was absent from school on Friday because she had a dental appointment at Children's.So yesterday,on Mother's Day,her incredible teacher Miss Peggy,shows up at my door,to deliver my gift.She said,"I just HAD to get this to you for Mother's Day."Now that literally made me cry.So make sure you click on Zoey's little gift picture and really study that face and what that gift represents:that picture is the literal blood,sweat and tears of three long years.ZOEY'S blood,sweat and tears.That picture is the face of resiliency and courage and Zoey's personal proclamation to the world that she is cannot and will not be held back,pushed down or stopped by ... ANYTHING!That is the face of my tiny pre-schooler.Can you believe it?





Are we not a motley crew or what?First,the big couch is our go to picture taking place,as if you hadn't noticed.It is the only place in the house that can fit a large crowd and add Matt,at 6ft 7in to the mix and he decided to literally squeeze in at the top.Once again we waited until the end of the day to take pictures and thus the boys are in their usual picture taking attire ... their jammies!And,could you please look at my casper legs.Hard to miss I would say and I claim to be a California girl! Matt represents my 7th child and number 8 is the beautiful Amanda ... she definitely feels like one of my own!And both were sure to sweetly acknowledge me as their stand in mom.Honored to be so.

I spent a great deal of time yesterday thinking of all my mommy friends who didn't have their angel babies with them this year.I spent time praying that God would bring peace to their breaking but healing hearts and that the precious spirits of their beautiful children, would carry them through the day.Yesterday,I did not take for granted,one single moment,the place I find myself dwelling in today. "Tears are God’s gift to us.Our holy water.They heal us as they flow." ~Rita Schiano

And now to Miss Zoey and her cute little bottom.Which is not looking too cute as of late.Today it was confirmed that it is indeed MRSA.Staph would have been bad enough but MRSA!We spent nearly 8 straight months last year, in a hospital.A virtual breeding ground for MRSA and ... nothing.How does this happen?How DID this happen?I have done everything humanly possible,everything in my power, to shield and protect this child of mine,all of her little life and HOW did this happen?You cannot believe how bad her bottom got and how quickly it got bad.Scary.Super scary.You cannot believe how terribly guilty I feel.Questioning anything and everything.I won't give you a blow by blow commentary,way too involved but tonight I am thankful for my mommies instinct,my incredible pediatrician and Zoey's ever present angels that continue to watch faithfully over her.We have dropped the penicillin from the med regiment, as penicillin is rendered completely ineffective on MRSA.We will continue Bactrim for 2 more days and stick with bleach baths and yes I said BLEACH baths,for my little love.After that,we will pray like crazy that we have knocked this thing out of the park.The question remains:Where did this come from?We in fact will never know.However,let's just say,again far too complicated to address but we,in conjunction with her school staff and the county nurse,will be revamping her potty training at school.I am even second guessing myself as to whether she is even ready to be at school.Which is so difficult for me to say seeing I just mentioned how very hard she has worked to get there in the first place.She will for sure be out of school for the next week.And after that,hard to say.Poor girl ... add MRSA to Miss Zoey's list ... unbelievable.Really unbelievable.

And,to round out the weekend,Joe has Strep ... again.3rd time this year.Something tells me those tonsils of his will be coming out.Antibiotic has kicked in and he is back to his usual rambunctious little self.