absence makes the heart grow fonder

My dear readers, i know you have missed me. i have been having a wild 2 weeks. i think that's how long it's been since i last posted.
since then, we've had some changes happen around here.
we did NOT go through with the surgery to put tubes in Kate's ears, which was scheduled for last week. she ended up getting sick again before the surgery, so i took her back to the pediatrician, and he said if i kept her out of daycare for a month, i could monitor her and see if her ears improved. and that we could hold out on surgery.
so that is what i did. i've been home with her ever since, and she's finishing up a round of antibiotics, and feeling FANTABULOUS. she loves being at home, she is all sunshine, and she is radiant. behavior problems we were facing after school have ceased, praise God.
I'm amazed at watching her grow each day. At first I didn't think I could work and be a stay at home mommy (i guess that makes me a work from home mommy) but it's been great. within the first day of announcing such, i had a friend from Lagniappe volunteer to keep her on Mondays for me so that I can keep my dr appointments and such. What a blessing! She came this past Monday so that I could meet with a surgeon about my other problem.
So all things on the Kate front are great.
About the surgeon-I have gallstones, and they are not serving me well. I need to have my gallbladder removed, so sayeth several doctors. My GP, and then I met with a surgeon in Gulfport on Monday. After a bad first impression and hearing some opinions on him, I decided not to go with him, but I am going to meet with another surgeon in 2 weeks (she's so good she's hard to get in to see.)
But the plan is to have the surgery the week of Thanksgiving so that Andy can be home. I will have to spend at least one night in the hospital, so I will be relying on a friend or two to watch Kate at least during that time. (Any takers?)
He said it would take about a month to feel normal again, but I am a champ so I bet it will be sooner. He said a C Section was worse, and I sailed through that, so I am hoping for amazing results.
My current symptoms: Nausea, other gross feelings, being tired. Feeling gross. Trying not to complain. Some days are good, some days are sick.
Dr said it would be like this until it comes out, so i guess i don't get a choice-it has to come out.
But God made gallbladders, and gallstones, too, so I am confident that He will finish His good work.
Does the list ever seem to stop with us? We have had a hard time here lately on the coast.
Probably one of the worst moments was last week when we found our family dog, Rosie, next door. She was not alive. It was so sad. A neighbor called and reported the news; we'd been looking for her for 2 days. The last day we saw her, she was very sick. We've had her longer than we've been married, and it was so tough. Another sweet neighbor volunteered to bury her for us, since it was too hard for us, and it really has been hard without her.
I didn't realize how much I loved her and relied on her until she was suddenly gone. No one to eat leftovers, no one to vaccuum after. The house has been so quiet without her, so clean, so sad. I don't know if Kate understands but she LOVED Rosie. Andy and I also loved her so much. She really was the best dog. She was so obedient, so sweet. We think someone poisoned her due to her quick demise.
Andy's work has been rewarding for him. He is traveling overnight at least once per week, which is not the norm, but we are handling it. I'm pretty clingy so I like having him around all day, every day, but that's not normal either.
He's a great dad and I think his allergies tend to get the best of him because he's been very tired and coughing a lot. But that's an After-Katrina effect-bad allergies.
Kate and I had fun today trick or treating around our downtown with friend Susan. She had trouble saying "trick or treat" but had fun, anyway!
We've been really into Barney, Cheerios have taken on a new passion with Kate, and we get really excited about the mail coming.
I am quite excited about Christmas time! I can't believe it's almost time again.
Last weekend I got to wear a coat. That was nice!
My work has been good, I've been managing it from home nicely during the day and it hasn't been overwhelming. I do think about it, but then also I think about when I should do chores, when I should stop thinking and just play, when should I just rest, when is it okay to talk on the phone, etc etc etc.
Such is life.