2-15-11 4 out of 4 Boys are Sick

I may have commented a time or two about people who seem to be sleepwalking through life. It always seems such a shame. When my kids get sick, it instantly puts our family in slow gear. Plans get canceled, housework is put on hold and meeting the kids immediate needs for fluids, Tylenol, and snuggling get met. It was clear by 9 o'clock this morning that that would be the order of the day. It was 9 o'clock when it became evident that kiddo number three was also struck by the vomiting/diarrhea virus. I loathe the word diarrhea much less the actual substance.

We slowed down. Don't get me wrong, I have A LOT to do on "sick kid days", but I also make it a point to be more attentive and comforting. There's quite a bit of crying on these days and someone is constantly begging to be held. While Caden was asleep, I snuggled with Conrad and Max while we watched cartoons. I'll admit, I have my favorites. Franklin is one of them, Dora is not. My mind was wandering while Dora was navigating. . . okay, I don't really know what this episode was about because I was thinking about how differently than usual our day was going. I liked that we had slowed down. I didn't have a to-do list. I wasn't feeling guilty that I had no intention of fitting in an outing, a learning activity or some kind of craft. There was no to-do list or any intention of making dinner. There was a touch of peace in a chaotic day.

Sometimes my days are too busy, sometimes I have weeks that are too busy and in my efforts to create a full life, I can create one that I'm only skimming the surface of. I want to make each day count, but not in a checklist sort of way. Thanks to disgusting biological functions wreaking havoc on my kids, I've been thinking about what really makes each day meaningful. Sharing a laugh with my husband, connecting with a true friend, making my baby belly-laugh, reminiscing with a family member, dwelling on scripture, making a new discovery with the boys. . .

The floors still need washed, the laundry still has to be folded, and the toilets have to be cleaned (especially this week!), but this is the small stuff. And you know what they say about the small stuff.