Poor Little Derek

                                                                                                        Derek's self-portraits November 2011
We have had stomach bug in our house for a few days.  I came down with it first...Saturday.  I was driving home from a baby shower and had chills hit me hard.  I came home and crawled into bed and stayed there all day.  That night Zack threw up.  Sunday I was supposed to teach Sharing Time, go to ward council and have three families in our ward over for dinner.  I cancelled it all.  Thank goodness for good counselors who took over sharing time last minute and agreed to go to the crack of dawn ward council meeting.  Belly aches were rampant in our house on Sunday, but by Sunday night, I was feeling pretty good.  Monday I felt great!  I got up, got ready and started cleaning the house (I should point out that it was in pretty bad shape.  Matt kept the kids fed, dishes done and took care of a grocery store run on Saturday night....but things like laundry were atrocious...)  I cleaned out closets and made lists and did tons of laundry!  I had kept the kids home from church and school we had a full day of craziness.  By Monday afternoon I was sick again.  I emailed Matt and begged him to come home, Zack was chasing Sydney around the house for me while I was curled up in bed.  In all my cancellation of plans I forgot my friend and her family that I had invited over for FHE.  Luckily, she called before she came over.....sorry, Cheri.  
Tuesday was a new day!  I woke up, read my scriptures, got a few things accomplished before the kids woke up and was back to my old self.  We ran to the grocery store while the boys were at school, then to the school to watch the Turkey Trot and then home in time for Derek to get off the bus.  Sydney had her 18 month well-check so I got the kids in the car to head over to the Pediatrician's office.  As we are driving away from the house, Derek says his stomach hurts.  I ask if he is hungry, he declined lunch since he had eaten a Thanksgiving Feast in Kindergarten.  He was quiet for the five minute drive to the doctor.  We walk into the waiting room and...........he pukes all over the floor.  I run over and try and contain the rest of the puke in Sydney's blanket.  I then left the two little kids standing there confused while I ran Derek to the bathroom with the blanket, told him to stand by the toilet and went back to get the other kids.  The receptionists and nurses were so nice.  One got me a garbage bag for the puked on blanket, shoes, coat, etc, as well as a puke bucket.  Another one colored with Sydney and Austin while I helped Derek.  I totally offered to clean it up, but they took care of it.  They were so sweet to Derek.  He was too sick to even be embarrassed, but good thing it was him and not Zack, Zack would have been SO embarrassed.  Derek was miserable and puked again on the way home, and again later that afternoon.  Apparently the sickness hasn't left us yet.  Today he seems great and happy, so we are hopeful for a puke-free Thanksgiving (although Sydney and Matt have yet to get sick, so we will see.)  We are thankful for the really nice ladies at the doctor's office who helped us out and were so sweet to the kids yesterday.