We’ve had a lovely trip so far. Everything has gone just right.
We left the house right on time at 5 AM.
We made great time on the drive, and I didn’t do it by speeding.
We had a wonderful visit and tour of Samantha’s blackberry farm! Her family also had ducks, chickens, turkeys, milk goats, lavender, figs, pomegranates, tomatoes, retired meat rabbits, a guard-pony, and border collies. Nearly every one of those items were ideas that we are considering for our own homestead, so it was fascinating to see how their family is implementing them.
After the berry farm, we joined the Reins for dinner and lodging. We’ve had a very relaxing evening getting to know them better. We enjoyed a delicious dinner, played pictionary for our first time ever, admired their chickens, and noticed that they too have blackberries. We can’t wait to start some on our land! Now I’m up much too late kicking myself once again for not getting the camera out. I suppose I could get it out now, but snapping pictures of our sleeping hosts might not be the best manners.
We’re looking forward to meeting some friends and readers in the D/FW area tomorrow afternoon, but now there might be a new twist. Does anyone think the possibility of chicken pox adds a little excitement to the event? Bethany woke up with a bit of a fever Wednesday morning, but it passed. She’s had a few bug bites on her arms and legs the last few days, but I assumed it was because we sleep with the windows open at home. Now that we’re away from home the bites should go away, right?
But maybe I should put bug bites in quotes, like this: She’s had a few “bug bites.” I’m suddenly not at all sure that bugs are to blame. Instead of getting better, they seem to be getting worse. One or two are beginning to look a bit blistery. And my normally cheerful baby is very clingy and prone to cry.
Here are my observations:
Proof that it’s not chicken pox:
- She has few or no “bites” on her torso, where chicken pox typically show up first.
- Although she may have been exposed to chicken pox, it was only in the last few days. My little nephew was playing with a boy 2 weeks ago, and the boy came down with the pox a day or two later. Bethany has spent time around my nephew who could be carrying the virus, but the incubation period is typically 10-21 days, so she wouldn’t have time yet to be infected by him.
- She also has something like heat rash around her neck and diaper area. Maybe the bigger bumps are part of an allergic reaction? We’ve been using up an old box of store-bought laundry soap, and she is wearing disposable diapers for the first time in months, though neither one ever bothered her before.
Proof that it IS chicken pox:
- Her bumps are getting more prominent day by day.
- She had a brief mild fever.
- She may have been exposed to somebody with shingles about 10 days ago. This particular carrier doesn’t often hold Bethany, but though shingles carriers are not highly contagious, they can occasionally transmit chicken pox.
- Murphy’s Law.
My six oldest children have already had chicken pox. In all honesty, I would be delighted for my 3 youngest to catch it while they are young. I’m just not sure I would have chosen this week to do it. But on the bright side, did you know that if you’ve already had the virus, each exposure acts as a booster to your immune system and reduces your chance of developing shingles later in life?
Does anyone want to join us for a chicken pox party tomorrow?
I’m not ready to proclaim a diagnosis, but it could happen.
Related posts:
Last year I suspected chicken pox and it turned out to be hand foot and mouth disease. I suppose you would know much better than I having already had children with chicken pox but its just a thought.
won’t deter me, can’t wait!
I’m not a doctor, but I play one on the interweb. I found this article on WebMD: http://firstaid.webmd.com/skin-rashes-in-children-treatment
It had this to say about chicken pox: “The symptoms of chickenpox often begins with a very itchy rash, which first appears on the scalp, armpits, or groin area and progresses, in waves, to spread over the entire body.”
There were descriptions of other common illnesses, but that one seems to best fit what you’ve described so far. I think you probably nailed it. (I love that you used Murphy’s Law as one of the symptoms.)
You haven’t scared us off–see you this morning!
Well you could always swing into PA and share them with 4 of my 6 who have not had them
I guess that’s asking a bit much since it’s WAY out of your “schedule” 
We will pray for you.
Hi – new to your blog. I’ll be back a bit later to look at it more. Need to head off to town. Loved your chicken pox posting…..my 6 kids are all grown and on their own now. But when my youngest was 2 years old he came down with chicken pox. Exactly 14 days later all 5 of the rest woke up with chicken pox. It was a ZOO of pox let me tell you. Itchy, scratchy feverish kiddos. Because they all slept in upstairs bedrooms and relieve me from a zillion runs up and down the stairs. I literally pulled each of their bed mattresses down to the living room and set hospital!. The thought it was the grandest time. And little one that was pretty much over it by then thought it great to take turns jumping into bed with each of his siblings. What Grace of the Lord to allow us to get it all done and over with like that instead of stretched out over weeks on end one by one.
We’re still coming and I am hoping for the chicken pox. I tired to give it to my kids last year but they refused to get sick (despite sharing cups and suckers – gross!!!!!! – with the infected friends.)
Let me clarify my last comment. i am hoping WE get the chicken pox. I don’t think it would be fun on a trip though so maybe I shouldn’t hope so hard. I need all of my kids to have it. Catch 22, I suppose. See you this afternoon. (Although I probably won’t read this until late tonight. If so, go to bed. You have a busy day tomorrow.
I’m just a lurker, but a lurker who enjoys your blog very much.
Our family is just getting over the chicken pox, and while it wasn’t fun, writing a song about it was! If it is chicken pox I hope your little ones get over it quickly with little discomfort.
Heather
My son 16 came down with a case of shingles a couple of months ago. Two weeks later my son 11 came down with chicken pox. Two weeks after that my youngest dd came down with chicken pox. Its rare but you can get chicken pox from shingles. To top it off both of the youngest had been vaccinated for chicken pox so it should have been a milder case . . . NOT They both had a middlen to sever case. Middle child still hasn’t come down with them so I am assuming we are now chicken pox free.
MY kids need to get the chicken pox.
Oh no! We had two cases of the chicken pox on our recent vaction to Florida… so fun with 10 kids
Dear Mrs. C,
I have a feeling that many people will not be scared away. You may find a huge crowd of people there, pushing their kids on your baby. I had the chicken pox about a year ago, (I’m 14). What Bethany has sounds a bit like what I had, especially the fever. My mom was glad that I finally got it. It was pretty miserable, but it sounded better than shingles.
Just a note about the chicken pox shots. I know a family that had a lot of children and some of them had had the shot. Well it struck the family in a wave and the two that had received the shot got it the worst.
Lulu
P.S. I am a recent reader of your blog and I really enjoy reading your posts. I really enjoy your sense of humor and I LOVE the picture on your template.
I LOVED meeting all of you today, what an amazing beautiful family!!
No one can say God doesn’t have a sense of humor!
No help with the Chicken Pox, mostly because the only thing I remember was the pink anti-itch stuff.
However, I find it hilarious that the suggested links are all chicken recipes
Good luck with the pox, if that is what it is