I am still here and have been doing a lot of thinking.  I had to take my daughter to the hospital today and did not get a chance to return it today so I thought I'd make use of it.  My daughter went to the doctor Wednesday and had an ear infection.  She received antibiotics and we thought she would be fine.  She continued to get sicker.  Today the paramedics took her to the hospital and she had a fever of 104.  The doctor said she was a very sick little girl.  It broke my heart to see them sticking her with all of those needles, she is only two.  They did a chest X-ray and lots of blood work.  Her ear infection is cleared up, but she has some sort of viral infection running through her blood.  She tested negative for mono and strep.  She may have some type of pnuemonia.  They changed her antibiotics and sent her home.  They rest of the blood work won't be back until Wednesday.  If she's not better, they will admit her and be more aggressive with treatment.  She has not eaten in four days and is barely drinking.  She has blisters in her mouth and in her throat.  It's too painful for her to swollow.  They gave her some medication for pain and she was able to eat a decent meal tonight.  Anyway, I was sitting in the hospital and thinking that Christmas present don't matter.  The health of my family and our love for each other is what matters.  I called my husband, who stayed at home with my son and told him what was going on.  He came up to the hospital and we drove home together.  When I got home he handed me some paper and I looked at them. They were receipts for our outstanding bills.  He borrowed the money from his boss and went on his own, with my son today and paid the bills and brought me the receipts.  He will pay his boss back $50.00 a week until the load is paid off.  I had no idea he was going to do that.  Even if we don't have gifts for the kids, we have a roof over our heads and all fo our utilities.  The computer was the only thing he couldn't pay so I will be hitting the library this week.  He had another surprise.  I looked around and noticed the house was spotless.   It hasn't looked this good in months.  He and his brother, mother and sister-in-law came over and cleaned and sanitized the entire house since we don't know what caused the infection.  He said I have enough to worry about and have had enough on my mind without having to come home and clean.  It was so thoughtful that I cried.  I was so grateful.  My mother-in-law even came over tonight for a few hours to sit up with the baby so I could rest.  i was so happy with adult company that I sat right on the couch with her admiring the clean house.  I'll rest when I'm dead.

Something else made my day.  I want to say a special thank you to all fo my friends here on the board.  Thank you for all of the nice thoughts, special prayers and generousity you have shown me and my family. God has truly blessed me by letting our paths cross.  All of you are wonderful and thoughtful.  I can't tell you how grateful I am to each of you.  I wouldn't have made it through the past year without you all with my sanity in tact, such as it is.  Thank you and may God bless each of you!  Happy Holidays my friends.

Beth