I'm writing this while staying home again with sick kids. This has gone on for 1 1/2 weeks now, and is looking brighter, but still not "normal". I guess what I've learned through this round (and probably each other one when they come), is how little control I really do have over my life. I would like to think that I have some semblance of control, organization, direction but when illness strikes, I realize that I am nothing. This is not a bad thing, but a good thing. It requires relying totally on my Lord and Savior, who provides healing, comfort, peace and all things good.
We started with puking kids, who somehow got reinfected and were sick twice. And then I got the flu too, totally sapping my own energy and strength to keep on top of the germy laundry and dishes. The kids have been troopers, but it's been me who has been the whiner. I hate the smell/sound of puking and don't do well with it. (Who does?) I hate seeing them so helpless and miserable. I even was at the point of wishing that I could take some of the misery away from them. Then I got the bug and wished that I hadn't wished that, as now I was out of commission too. Then dear husband had to work overtime so he's been pretty tired (and fighting all the germies himself) also. I haven't even hardly left the house all this time (does checking the mail count?) When I tried to go for a walk with a few of the "well" kids on sunny Sunday, the cold wind made my throat and ears hurt (even though I had a scarf and hat on). We've missed 2 weeks of church now.
Then the fevers hit. All the kids. Then the coughing. All the kids. Now I'm doling out cough medicine (at night), vitamin C, immune drops and such all day long. Hot steamy showers for them all. Vapoizer on with essential oils. Garlic laced food. Vicks on their feet. Honey-lemon tea. To little or no avail. We'll keep at it, but it's getting wearying. A baby who thinks that he must wake up far too many times each night and needs his mom to put him back to sleep (sometimes awake for 2-3 hours). We've been working on that for many months, and are no further ahead than when we started. Each time we make some headway, then teething, or sickness or something (like a too-tired mom who can't get up and do the right thing, so she does the lazy thing) comes in and we start the game again. My neck and back also go out of place every time I don't get enough rest and I haven't been well enough to even get it put back in. So add constant stabbing pain to the mix too and a couple whiny kids who make it known how they feel. I feel like that too, but at least try to control my whining and fussing!
I know that this is a season, and it will pass. But, I'm tired. It's hard to see past that. We're 2 weeks late on getting groceries, which also makes it difficult to find nutritious things to eat for the picky kids who are hungry but don't want to eat anything I make or offer. (unusual for them, they normally eat anything)
But, we'll carry on. Because it's worth it. And because we have no other choice. And try to be thankful for the blessings we have. A warm house, some food to eat, a washer and dryer to clean dirty stuff. Things like that. So goes the day....
