Friday, December 11, 2009

The Bright Side

Nothing has me counting my blessings quite so fervently as the whole family being down with the stomach flu all at once. I am so grateful that as a general rule my kids are exceptionally healthy. We really only see our pediatrician at well visits, and other than the occasional head cold they haven't really been sick at all this year. I am grateful that I have the strength and energy to take care of my kids on a daily basis. That I can snuggle them and dress and feed them and play with them. Yesterday, laying half delirious on the couch for twelve hours straight and barely able to hold Olivia's hair back when she was getting sick, or refill a sippy cup, or read a book to my attention starved Caleb, was TORTURE. I've never felt so useless in my life. My poor kids! I am grateful that this happened now and not in two weeks when it would have ruined our Christmas. I am grateful for a husband who, despite feeling rotten himself, came home from work with supplies (coke, juice, soup and bread), read Caleb a bedtime story, helped me settle kids into bed and replaced the battery in the smoke detector (that had been beeping all day long and driving both me and the dog bonkers) before falling into bed, sick as a dog himself. I am grateful for a genuinely concerned mommy who kept calling to check on us and would have jumped in the car and come to my rescue had I allowed her to. I am grateful that today is a new day, that my energy tank has been magically refueled and that an hour from now will see my children clean and bathed, and my bathrooms and carpet scrubbed and sanitized. I am grateful for my fabulous primary presidency who can pick up the slack when needed. For visiting teachers constantly on call (I didn't, but I could have.) And (this needs to be said) for TV. Yes - that's right, I said TV. Dear Disney, NOG and PBS - thank you for saving us yesterday!

3 comments:

Wade, Jenny, and Girls said...

I hear ya. TV is a lifesaver when your sick! :) Glad everyone is feeling better! :)

Erica said...

Emily! I had a fun time catching up on your blog. I hope you all are feeling better. :)It's so hard when mommy gets sick too!

aubrey said...

Ugh! I am so, so sorry you have all been sick. That can be so hard. It is so nice to have hubby's who step in when things are barfy :)