I've lost my voice.

Yes, it is Thursday, and I have not posted a thing since last Friday. Mostly because Friday evening I came down with a killer sore throat. Friday's sore throat turned into Saturday's sore throat/hard to swallow/ear pain, which turned into Sunday morning's silence.

Yep. When I woke up on Sunday morning, I couldn't say a word.

The kids thought it was funny. Brandon was reminded that miracles do happen.

It kind of reminded me of when Ursula took Ariel's voice in exchange for legs on land to meet Prince Eric. She had that goofy grin on her face the whole time and used her sea animal friends to help her communicate. Only difference was, I already have my prince, I am not a 16 year old half sea creature, and my voice wasn't being carried around in a shell necklace by a woman who needs a lesson on modesty.

{We interrupt this post for a little shameless self promotion: it is Thursday! Don't forget to grab a copy of the Press and read my column! Now, back to our regularly scheduled blog post...}

So, Sunday turned into Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday. Still just whispers and some manly sounding words here and there. But not my usual mile-a-minute, country-sounding self.

Keep in mind I am the one who "never gets sick". I am the cyborg who is fueled by chocolate and has issues with proximity. But this week I have done very little except for sip on endless cups of Theraflu. So, I started observing instead of trying to talk. And I noticed the following:

* I talk waaaay too much. I could pretty much end my list right here.
* I also raise my voice too much. I realized this when I would try to and there were no harsh words that would leave my lips.
* My son has a super imagination. He was playing in the kitchen floor the other day, making his stuffed dog leap from a dump truck and shouting "SUPER BLACKIE!!'
* Eden taught her brothers during learning time. Yep. All I did was hand her the days of the week and weather boards, and she opened up the children's Bible and told them the story of Moses and Aaron and the plagues. She remembered so many details from when we had read that story months ago. I was shocked.
* Titus is crawling now. Can someone tell me how long he has been doing this?? That is something you miss when you are too busy talking.
* This week, Eden states that she wants to deliver mail when she grows up. August states that he wants to build houses for people. He then changes to "mail boy" after hearing Eden's future career plans.These are conversations that took place between car seats while I was driving and listening instead of talking on the phone.


The doctor called me in some antibiotics yesterday so I should be back to my old self soon. The past few silent days have given me a lot of time to think about my voice and how it can be good medicine or dry up the bones. How out of the abundance of the heart my mouth speaks (Luke 6:45).

So, that's where I have been this week. I will see you tomorrow for Friday's mama moments post. I have lots to share next week about Titus' first birthday, Eden's 5th birthday is on Monday (tears!), and a killer blueberry muffin recipe. Oh, and how I accidentally shoplifted a birthday candle from Wal Mart. Yup.

(Missed today's daily photo? Click here.)