Under The Weather

Well, it has to happen every year, although every year I keep hoping and praying that it won't happen to us.  Sickness in a larger than average family is just that - larger than average.  There is just more of everything - more laundry that simply must be done as soon as possible, more children awake in the middle of the night, more baths to give and foreheads to kiss, more days that must pass before you are absolutely sure you are all out of the woods.  And no, we're not, not yet.

I was optimistic when it had been over 24 hours since an "incident," but was proven to be mistaken by my two very cheerful little boys, one right after another.  More baths.  More books to be read up in Mama's bed.  More reasons why school just did not happen on what was to be our first day back after Christmas break.

I'd be wrong if I was to say I take all of this in stride.  At 28 weeks pregnant, it's all I can do to muster my nurturing instinct at 3 am when someone needs yet another bath and a fresh pair of pajamas.  The truth is, while there is more of all of everything else, these days it seems like I'm the one running the deficit - less patience, less energy, less mental capacity to keep all these balls in the air.  Getting by on the skin of my teeth is the order of the day, and adding on a large family bout with the stomach flu is just the icing on the not so appetizing cake.

Still, it all serves as a reminder that each day must be lived as it presents itself - not, as I must remind myself, as I feel it should be lived.  I just do the next right thing - switching loads of laundry and braiding hair back out of the way, slipping in books on tape and brewing lots of ginger tea.  Sometimes it can be easy to forget that this is life - not just an interruption, but life itself.  Yes, even the rough days and the long nights.  Not a detour. Not a break in regularly scheduled programming.  Life itself, this day with all of it's moments, the good and the bad.

So I reschedule appointments, send regrets to get togethers and, while I hope these sick days pass quickly by, I'm grateful that I can spend them right here, taking care of the people who need me the most.  Even at 3 am.


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