A Quiet Weekend

My entire family has been sick for what feels like over a month. As soon as one gets better, another gets something new. This past week all the kids got the stomach flu. I knew that day would come when they all had it at once and I dreaded it. I never handled this well. I know no one does, but we're talking a major phobia. I never got that kind of sick as a child. While my sister would be in the bathroom all day long I'd cover my ears and sing "Mary Had A Little Lamb" to try to drown it out. No idea why I chose to sing or why that song, but I did.

I only got sick in that way three times as a child. Once wasn't even the flu, but because my dad overdosed me on vitamin c and my body got upset and another was because I got into the cold medicine and my mom didn't know how much I drank (I was 4 years old) so they took me to the E.R. and had my stomach pumped. Actually I think that is what gave me this phobia. It was a traumatic day and the worst part was that the whole experience ruined my favorite Sunday dress.

Anyway, I know just talking about it is enough to send some people away. So I apologize, but wanted to set the stage to explain how God gave me grace to handle this on a day when my husband was working and I was alone. I won't go into the details, but I was amazed that I didn't get nauseated and my kids didn't cry or complain. They were little champs just handling it and being patient as I ran from room to room.

So we recovered from that and now daddy is sick with chills, a fever, cough and stuffy nose, headaches, body aches. All the symptoms sound sorta like what they're describing as the H1N1. I'm paranoid about us all getting this so I've been banishing him from the main living area and wiping things down with lysol like crazy. My hands are raw from washing and I'm doing just about every homeopathic preventative measure you can imagine. Just praying this passes without myself or the kids getting it.

Meanwhile everyone will be going back to school tomorrow. This fall so far has been a doozy on my kids with sicknesses. Again, praying they stay well.

Also wanted to record an interesting little Jackson-ism from tonight.

After bath he said something like,

"Teenagers are crazy."

I said, "Oh yea, how are they crazy?"

He said, "I don't know they always act all weird and do crazy things."

I asked him how he knows this and he replied, "I don't know, I just see it."

I told him I'd record that he said this for when he's a teenager and see if he still agrees.

It shows me though that they're observing and watching at all times. Those kids in the mall, crossing the street, the pants down low with the underwear showing (he has commented on this) and the hats turned to the side (again he has commented on this). His seven and a half year old mind thinks it's all crazy. I hope he still keeps perspective when he's older.

The best part of it all was him saying he doesn't want to grow up, he likes that he's a kid and he likes that he can still be into webkinz. This made my heart smile. What mom doesn't want their child to stay young forever. I'm always feeling like I just want to lock this age or that into place. I know they have to grow up and I know it's what is best, but the changes and the realization that a season is gone and wondering how it left without my noticing makes me very nostalgic.

I like where my kids are now and yet there are moments when I don't like repeating myself again and again and again about cleaning up, washing hands, not fighting, speaking kindly, being patient. But a dear friend who has twin two year olds and a newborn once said to me, 'When I start feeling that way about these things I remember that one day there will be acne and stinky underarms and attitude and real problems and it puts it all in perspective.'

Perspective is where I am right now...appreciating today and the now.