**  My children oscillate between sweet concern and odd obliviousness when I’m ill.  One moment they’re bringing a thermometer and offering me water; the next they’re waking me from a fitful nap to ask if they can have a friend come over.  Don’t get me wrong, the kindness is appreciated, but the unpredictable swing between the two attitudes is quite disorienting.

**  How many trees have I actually killed by blowing my nose through a box and a half of tissues?

**  The temperature swings are outrageous.  Too cold, too hot, waves of clamminess, heat rushing up the back of my neck – there’s no getting comfortable with this mess going on.

**  The combination of dizziness, pounding sinuses, wracking cough, and sheer exhaustion greatly levels the playing field when I have to tackle Gracie.  I’m worried a few more days of this might give her the impression that she can pull her shenanigans without repercussions.

**  Phoebe is (comparatively speaking) in heaven.  When I’m horizontal 80% of the day that means she always has a snuggle bunny for naps.  She’s snoring away at my side as we speak.

**  It’s saying something when my biggest accomplishment for the day is running two loads of laundry, but hey…I say celebrate the little successes, too.