Hello Friends :)
What a week. I had planned on continuing my 'series' - but the bronchial infection I experienced over the last few days kept me from it. It kept me from a lot of things, actually. Like both of my small groups. Play dates. Laundry. Clean hair. Sanity. Etc...
My husband....the optimist...the glass half full...look on the bright side...easy going person around here...suggested in the middle of my illness that I try to 'learn something from it'. You can imagine the look (or glare) that he received as he posed this question to a feverish, weak, exhausted, congested, chills-ridden, stay-at-home mother of two - who had to take care of her little cherubs for 10 hours every day while she was feeling like total poo. If looks could kill....
Nevertheless, as I laid in the fetal position in front of our space heater all week - I pondered the question. And I did learn a few things. None of which are deep or spiritual in the least:
1) Our carpet is dirty. I vacuum semi-regularly. I should vacuum 3 times a day. Or hire a cleaning lady. Seriously. The crumbs were out of control.
2) Word World is hilarious. Especially Duck. I've watched this show with my children before....but I got to watch it all week. And after the 4th day of it - I started to get excited when I knew it was coming on. Sad but true.
3) I'm ugly (acting and looking) when I'm sick. It was not a pretty week, people. On so many levels.
4) Even after all these years of leaving the nest - I still only want my Mama when I'm sick. I whined for her all week. She's one of those who firmly believe that there is not an illness or issue in the world that can't be taken care of with a glass of Dr. Pepper - extra ice, of course. I craved it all week long. (I miss you Mom - can't wait to see you next week!)
5) I have a good church family. So many of them sent me messages of encouragement while I was ill. And they prayed for me. I love them.
6) My husband has no idea how to do laundry. So he just didn't. Except for one load - where he managed to throw my yoga pants and my favorite dress pants (that are probably only suppose to be dry cleaned) into the dryer on high. Awesome. He will be getting a lesson on clothes washing this weekend. And I might be getting some new pants. Thank you very much.
7) Stay-at-home moms (and working mom's!) do A LOT. I didn't realize how much I actually do during the day - when I suddenly could do nothing. I felt like finding one of my fellow Mama's and giving her a fist bump, blowing it up, pounding my chest, and yelling "We must protect this houuuuuse." Just like the Under Armor commercials.
8) Fevers make you think about doing ridiculous things.
9) 4 year olds are very empathetic. Mine is, anyway. As I laid on the floor...in the fetal position, remember... he stroked my arm and played with my hair and kept telling me that he would "take care of everthin" while Daddy was at work. He is such a little man these days.
10) 18 month olds get super confused when their Mommy is sick. As I laid there...she stared at me for about an hour - and then finally just decided to use me as her personal jungle gym. It was okay though. Her little feet on my back were the closest thing I would get to a massage all week. So it worked.
11) If you want to lose weight and sport a six-pack... Get sick and cough your head off. My abs feel like I've done 10 million crunches this week - all from coughing so hard. Who knew?
12) Husbands are completely lost when their wives are benched. The look on my sweet husband's face when he would walk into the house after work was priceless. He looked so confused and lost. It almost made me feel sorry for him - but then I remembered which one of us was sick and being used as a jungle gym.
13) I have some amazing friends. They would text me to lift my spirits. They prayed for me all week. They emailed me. They cooked for me. They worried about me. I have some pretty nifty sister-friends.
14) You shouldn't try to run on a treadmill when you are sick. After the 4th day - I thought the mess in my chest could use some help working itself out of my body. Running always breaks the junk up in my lungs - so I thought I'd give it a whirl. Don't.Do.This. That's all I'll say about that. (My Mom is gonna have a cow and have to drink a Dr.Pepper after reading this one.)
15) Antibiotics are a good thing. I haven't taken one in over 6 years. I tend to be anti-antibiotic. But when you really need one....you really need one. And my bronchial tubes REEEALLY needed one. I feel like such a big girl when I take it. And while I've only had a few doses - I feel such a difference. Thank you, Lord.
I'll stop there. I won't put you through anymore. I'll be working on my next post in 'the series'. Hopefully it will be a more inspiring and Spirit-filled post than this one was. I appreciate you all so much. Stay healthy and know that you are loved :) Have a happy weekend!
