The Vandever Plague

That's what it has been affectionately named. It all started a week ago.

Ethan and I attended play group like we normally do, hanging out with our friends not knowing that a horrible, nasty bug was finding residence in us at the same time.

It did not hit us until Wednesday afternoon. In fact, I got a few emails from people in the play group saying they had a stomach bug and came to the conclusion they had gotten it at playgroup- since so many people there came down with it. I read those emails and thought- Good gracious! How awful for them. I'm glad we have healthy immune systems.

Utter foolishness. Around 3 that day my tummy started to rumble. I went to the grocery store thinking it was nothing. When Ethan and I got home from the store, I made a beeline to the bathroom. I spent the rest of the afternoon laying on the floor next to Ethan's jumperoo watching him play with his toys. I was in the bathroom the rest of the night and much of the next day. Yuck.

Ethan did not escape this bug either. He had some bad diapers for 4 days. I kept him home from church so he wouldn't spread the plague to all of his little friends in the nursery.

Jason thought he had escaped it- much like I had. And my Dad was planning a quick weekend visit from Alabama. He drove down on Thursday afternoon and Friday. I was feeling better, so we decided to continue on with our weekend plans.

Thursday night at 3 am, Jason found himself sick and for most of the night. I called my Dad , by this time halfway to Virginia in Tennessee, and told him our news. He decided to brave it anyway.

Dad, Ethan, and I hung out most of the weekend while Jason stayed in bed. He had it much worse than I did. We mostly hung around the house and played with Ethan- except for the night I took Dad out for a birthday dinner.

Dad left yesterday and seemed fine. He texted me last night and said he came down with the Vandever plague in his hotel room. Oh the misery!

All I can say is, if you live in Alabama... I am so sorry for you. I sincerely hope you escape the plague that is spreading like wildfire here in Virginia.

(Speaking of wildfire.... I was tempted to just throw a match and burn everything the plague touched- like in The Velveteen Rabbit- to clean our house.)