It Is So Typical!

I have every intention of keeping up this blog. My kids don't seem to understand this as they take my energy each and every day. I need to work harder on reserving the energy to sit down and write . . . but wait, if I work harder then I will be taking the energy I would need and . . . whatever . . .

Last entry, the kids were sick. This entry, the kids are sick. It is pretty standard when you have four kids. Odds are in our favor that at any given time there will be an illness in our family. In addition, when one kid gets ill and passes it around the family the average incubation period of the virus pretty much guarantees that it will be one month until we are well for three days, when the next virus is brought home from school, the store, Tae Kwon Do practice, etc.

Since life goes on, so do we. Tonight as I was sweeping, hunched over my broom with half a broomstick (Josh recently broke it while attempting to tight-rope-walk), I was pondering the importance of finding the blessings amidst the burdens. Sick kids mean lots of cuddle time, an excuse to watch movies, a reason to not have to worry about homework. Spongebob really does take on a new meaning at 3am while you sit with your asthmatic son and wait for him to finish his breathing treatment.
But consider me crazy, I would kind of like a span of time where the medicine bottles do not line my counter. We are so close to dedicating a waiting room bench in the doctor's office to our family.

So, I used my half-broom to sweep the dust, and cheerios, and unidentifiable objects into the dustpan, which is actually much easier with a shorter broom handle, and I realized that each illness brings me another chance to let my kids know how they are loved and cared for. I can say this because I make sure that they do not hear the language I speak under my breath when I have taken a temperature only to realize that, yes, there is another fever in the house.

Spring Break is Broken

It is Spring! This means new life, beautiful weather, green and colorful landscapes, and a two week break from school. In our home, however, Spring means that the sun is shining through the windows at all the dust that stayed hidden during the winter, that there are weeds that need to be pulled, and that it is a great time for the kids to get sick.

My kids like to wait until we are all on break to contract the most recent illness. This year, we were all ready for a family road trip to Arizona when the vomiting and fevers started. Sure, the illness has spared my husband and I nine hours of "family car time" each way, but now we are at home cleaning sheets and carpets that have inevitably intercepted the meals that did not settle very well in the stomachs of our four children. We have found that it is best to treat these "family illnesses" as patiently as possible. While we are living our own version of Outbreak, we have watched every Barbie movie ever made and have bought stock in saltine crackers, rice, and chicken broth.

The weeds will get pulled, and the spots and dust will be cleaned . . . eventually. It will all get done in just enough time for the next illness to filter through our family. Consider me crazy, but illness may be the only time I feel like I have an excuse to ignore the avalanche of laundry, toys, and dishes, and just watch predictable movies where a beautiful female tries to teach my children that women can be strong and independent in their own journeys - if they can talk to animals, maintain their hairstyles and figures, and find a handsome prince along the way. Thanks, Barbie. Sounds about as realistic as me finally having a vacation without sick kids.