Sing a little sick tune...

(Taken at a healthier, happier time...)

Poor Bryce has been sick for a couple days with a stomach bug or something. He spiked a fever at my parents Sunday night and proceeded to throw up through the night. I became part of a bedtime sandwich as he was in and out of our bed all night... climbing in on my side, squeezing me in the middle between him and Brady.
He ended up wetting our bed, throwing up the next night, and maintaining his fever. (104). He cries every few minutes wanting me to make his belly stop hurting and I totally would if I could! Now it's coming from both ends...
I feel bad for him... and myself too. I'm got a queasy stomach as well and it's just tiring not feeling well yourself, exhausted and caring for one sick and two well children. I sat down this afternoon on our second full day (has it really only been 2 days?) and wrote this poem to the tune of "My favorite Things..." It helps to find humor in these "fun" times. Enjoy!

Vomit on carpet at midnight that first day...
followed by crying, whens it going to be May?
Back aches and fever and crying some more...
vomit again by my bedroom door.

Up every hour to whining and moving,
snoring by husband- man, now we are grooving!
Wake to soaked bedsheets by boy not the man,
stomach still hurting, go and sit on the can.

Didn't quite make it, now floor is unclean,
so are the blankets, we'll need the machine.
Gross yellow splatter appears on the wall,
Diarrhea everywhere - oh what a ball!

When your son cries,
when he pukes too,
when he's feeling sad...
I simply remember how much I love him,
and then I don't feel so bad (or mad)!

Quiet moments

Baby girl had a fever a few days ago and wasn't sleeping. I had just laid my head down around 11:30pm and of course, almost as if she can sense it, she wakes up crying, "ma-nee!" (Not sure why she says ma-nee for mommy, but I can't bear to correct her b/c it's so stinkin cute)! Ok, almost everything she does is cute to me. :) Anyways... I drag myself out of bed, stumble down the hall and pick up my feverish baby and plop in the rocking chair. The exhaustion left my body as I began to sing some of her favorite songs. I began to trace her face watching her eyes slowly close and open in rhythem to my caress. Overwhelming love consumed me as I held this beautiful baby girl in my arms. "She is so beautiful..." is what I kept thinking over and over as I held and rocked her. "I can't believe she is mine! I made this sweet thing...." I felt so grateful to the Lord for my baby girl. For all my children. I felt so undeserving of such blessing... so inadequate and humble to be a mother to these choice spirits of God. I wanted so much to not let them down... to let the Lord down... to let myself down. I am all too aware how imperfect I am, how much I have to learn. I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the sacred responsibility of motherhood. How much it influences, impacts and molds their personalities and view of the world. I don't take that lightly. I know that I could never do it on my own. I am grateful to God and his Son to help make up for my failings. To have the ability to learn and improve each day. To teach my children, the Lords grace is available to them as well. As is Christ's redeeming sacrifice and unconditional love.
I love being a mom. It's in quiet moments like the one I had with Aubryn the other night that it hits me like a ton of bricks... I am everything I've wanted to be. Although not perfect, I am a mother. I am so blessed.