February 9, 2012

Yesterday played out quite interesting, if I do say so myself.
The six-year-old headed back to school after a week out.
The toddler woke up, her little body wracked by coughs which led to vomiting-amidst a fever.
At noon, as I left my mom's house to head to the doctors, the phone rang.
The eight-year-old was needing to come home.  Although there was no fever, her head was hurting and she just wasn't feeling well.
Two hours later. . .a double ear infection and laryngitis diagnosis-- we were off towards home.
My week has looked a lot like this:

Sick little children, are no fun.  They are needy. Whimpering. Feverish. Whiny. They need me to put my agenda on hold and just be. So I've tickled backs. Played with hair. Administered antibiotics which wears us all out sometimes!  I've cuddled.  I've let the house go a little.  I'm okay with leftovers. We all are, actually.

Yesterday, when Ernie came home he could see I was beat too.  He took me outside where we sat in the sun and talked, baby on lap, six-year-old doing homework and eight-year-old napping. Eventually day turned to night, and we were still outside so he started a fire.  The first attempts were futile.
As I sat with Nessa on my lap watching this one flame flickering, I thought of a song we used to sing in church. . ."It only takes a spark to get a fire going."

I was encouraged.  I was reminded of my weekend wisdom gained.  I was comforted in the fact that my sick babies didn't feel like they were in the way of my plans.  Their sicknesses weren't the cause for my weariness, impatience, and dare I say complaining?  Here we were with multiple sick ones and we were still managing to be upbeat and get it done.  Ernie and I are a tag team effort most days, I tell you.

The highlight of the evening was our devotion time outside around the fire.  Book in hand, Ernie read from it and the kids participated by answering his questions while the baby slept on my lap. This week has been busy and draining. . .our daughter came into our room at three am complaining of dizziness--her fever has struck and she's down for the count now too. Sigh.

This too shall pass.  And someday they won't want my cuddles and kisses and lap to lay their heads in.  I'll take what they give me for now because I'm realizing that someday will be too soon.