gathering at the water cooler

I'm going to take a few minutes from grading and class planning and teaching in general to share some water-cooler moments with you about our lives this past week:

• The benefit that my dad's work put on for our family raised over $7,100 last Wednesday, and even better, the company's owner agreed to match the funds, giving us a grand total of $14, 200. What an overwhelming, humbling response to my parents' needs--this was much more than they ever imagined. Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who played a part, whether you donated money, items, time, or just ate spaghetti. And for those of you who couldn't participate and have been praying instead, your prayers are greatly appreciated and each one is heard. I cannot say it enough: thank you.
• Mom's appetite is smaller and she is growing thinner and weaker. She sleeps most of the day now and doesn't seem to want a lot of company. That means don't give her a chance to say no: if you want to see mom, just drop by. Any day is usually good (after all, she's not going anywhere...).
• I've been seeing a cardiologist for an accellerated heartbeat. I've been getting one quite often since I've been pregnant. I was there on Friday to get the results and tried the water from the Absopure water cooler (it was disgusting, making me think they filled the Absopure container with tap water). The good news is that I check out okay. I'll follow up with him in January just to be sure.
• I got to spend my first night at home in a month and loved it. I fell asleep in front of the fire with my husband, my cat, and my dog, and then tossed and turned half the night despite our new mattress (you have no idea how uncomfortable it is to sleep on your side 100% of the time when you're a back sleeper unless you've been pregnant). On Sunday we went to church, which I'll admit I dozed through (I blame the lack of sleep at nights) and we went to the cider mill, where I ate a doughnut, had hot cider, and got stung by a bee (and hey, guess what, I'm allergic and never used to be. Go figure. On meds now with half an arm red, swollen, itchy and burning.). We went home and watched a few episodes of How I Met Your Mother on dvd before returning to my parents' house. Just the kind of weekend I like--sans the bee sting, of course.

I think that's it, besides the fact that I just realized I blew off Danny this weekend. Oops. I was supposed to call him when I went back to my parents' on Sunday, but had a massive migraine and a bee sting and didn't feel up to company--and then promptly forgot to call him. Sorry, friend! That's it for my water cooler tales. Have a happy week.