giving blood....

Mirielle gave blood for the third time, today. And, she almost fainted. She made it off the table, over to sit down for some juice, and her head went down on the table....she was white. The nurse called for Carlos, and he brought over the stretcher chair, and they hustled her over to a bed.....after about 15 minutes and some drinks of apple juice, she was good to go. Aaron didn't get to donate, he had a fever. Joseph didn't even go, he wasn't feeling well. It was the first time for me, and it was really not a big deal. I guess after giving birth 16 (17) times.....I didn't even feel light-headed. And: I got a coupon for a free pound of Dunkin Donuts coffee. We drove home on snow-covered roads, and by the time I got in the house, she was sitting with her head on the kitchen table....she isn't recovering so quickly. I tried to figure out who could shovel before daddy got home....(I was reaching for the shovel, and thought better of it), and: Ben isn't here, Mirielle can't, Abigail...no, Joseph isn't feeling well, Aaron has a fever, Molly has had a headache all day....so Sam and Kathryn went out.

Today, I was inspired to get the kids to help me, and get the house looking nice. I told them, "When daddy walks in the door tonight, the house will be clean, the dinner on the table, and I will look like a million bucks..." We then laughed our heads off. So, fast forward to daddy walking in tonight: The house IS pretty clean, the dinner is in the oven, and I did manage to get my long tangly hair washed. And I am still dressed in my decent "bye-bye" clothes. And he didn't even notice. He changed from his work clothes and went right to his computer.....oh well.

Mirielle and I noticed that the majority of the blood donors today were old people. And the volunteers who gave out the juice and cookies, and registered people, old ladies. Will this generation turn sweet and giving when they get older? I realize as I get older that old people are just people that got old. Does that make sense?

I am a bit tired from all my cleaning, then blood donating, then coming in the door, washing some dishes, and getting dinner into the oven. I made meatloaf quick, and Abigail washed, foiled, and forked some potatoes, and we put it in the oven.....and some mixed veges in the microwave. We haven't eaten yet.....the older kids aren't going to their youth meeting tonight, it is too treacherous out there to drive.....

Oh, the reason all the kids helped me today: they got sent home from school at 10:45, and 11:45.....because of the weather. It was fun and exciting, and Mirielle made up a quick batch of chocolate peanutbutter chip cookies, to welcome them....