I had lofty plans for my birthday, including a big playdate with my favorite cake and ice cream and a family dinner out with friends. On Monday I started to sense that some sickness was starting. Several of our good friends had been sick the previous week, and after a ballet drop-off and a crazy grocery trip with the three littlest kids, I came home to make dinner and then hunker down for a rough week.
Katie's fussiness started last week. She's really not happy in the evenings and has a very hard time going to sleep, probably due to teething and now this virus. Thomas started with an earache Monday night. Over-the-counter pain meds didn't help much and after a few hours of crying and writhing, Steven opted to take him to the ER at 1:00am. Tommy wasn't keen on this and threw a royal fit about getting into the car, which resulted in a neighbor's call to police. Steven was surrounded, one cop came to the door, but after a few minutes they realized that all was okay. Still more drama added to the otherwise rough all-nighter.
Katie wasn't doing well the next day, so I took her to the doctor, and then went back the next day with Thomas after his eardrum ruptured and he spit out most of his medicine. I had an insurance fiasco with the pharmacy, and sat in a lot of traffic. Now Steven Joseph appears to have croup, so I imagine it'll be another full night. There have been continual fevers and ibuprofen-administering, faucet-noses, and tissues all over the house. My clothing has been covered in child-snot all week long.
Tomorrow I was supposed to lead our first 4-H meeting at our homeschool park day. Piano lessons were rescheduled, then canceled. Our new swing set hasn't been touched all week. My days have been spent trying to appease the baby and make sure the sick children are comfortable. I have a stack of bills that haven't been opened. I've been wearing yoga pants and no makeup all week. Even my "big" jeans are feeling tight. So much for the step counting on my FitBit.
But being forced to have a quiet week at home caring for kids is really what my birthday is all about. It's about being given the best birthday gift ever...a wonderful family with a great husband and five beautiful children. What better to do than to spend the week focused on them and not on silly old me? What better way to thank God for my life than to offer back to him these precious souls he has entrusted to me.
I can still hope for a happy weekend and a new week filled with healthy kids for Valentine's activities though! May his healing presence be with each of my children, and may they always know my love and His love. Thanks be to God for 37 happy years of life!
And here are some photos of happier days, since I'm not sure when I'll blog again...
piano lessons
goddaughter's skating party
fun times in the backyard
around the house
her first Shipley's donut
and at the park for a friend's birthday
