Love

2010-01-18

Yesterday was Drew's 7th birthday and it was a fun party! I can't believe he is 7! I think I'm going to say that every year he turns a little bit older! Oh well, it's true!

We woke up yesterday morning with 3 sick kids and a sick Daddy. They've contracted the same sore throat and horrible croupy cough and I hate hearing them suffer! Anyway, we missed church yesterday and took the day to chill out and get the kids rested. Jeni and her fam came over in the afternoon for dinner (Drew's favourite - broccoli/chicken casserole and cheese pizza) and then the party and some football. We figure the kids hang out everyday anyways, since they got their sore throat from Natalie, there is not much her and boots can get since they've already been sick! Now they'll have immunity to eachother right??

Needless to say I have had quite a few sleepless nights with kids coughing out for Mommy, throwing up in the middle of the night, getting high fevers, waking me up at the side of the bed, climbing in bed with me, etc! Taylor was really sick today and was wheezing badly when she woke up from her nap, but after some popsicles, lots of juice, Advil, Vicks vaporub, and some sort of honey cough suppressant, she seems to be doing WAY better tonight! It's a little stressful getting sick in the States as I'm not entirely sure what my insurance covers if we had to go to the hospital. I guess I should check that out! Every time we come down here I forget what I'm covered with, I need to write it down!

So now I'm watching my kids eat their Popsicles (taking forever as Taylor does it lick by lick and lets it run down her arm), waiting to watch 24 and Bachelor and having some time to myself!

Last night Charlotte woke up around 4:30am for her bottle, so I made it, changed her diaper and laid back down with her in my bed while she ate. My eyes were right next to her little hands and it was so cute to see her grip the bottle like it was going out of style. I took it at one point so that she didn't have to hold it and about 30 seconds later she panicked and had to hold it again to make sure it wouldn't go anywhere. I love her and her little tiny hands...nothing cuter!

A few hours earlier I was checking on Brayden as he had a coughing fit in his sleep. He was running a fever so I went and got him some Tylenol and a drink. After he laid back down and was looking at me with so much desperation. So that he wouldn't freak out I put my hand on his chest right over his heart and could feel his little heart beating SO fast...I was shhh-ooshing him and trying to calm him down and I felt a real connection between the two of us as he calmed down his breathing and went back to sleep through his wheezy sounds.

It's these quiet moments in life that remind me what I have to be thankful for. I love my children so much, words can never express. Their tiny hands, little smiles, funny personalities, fears, and strong spirits. Why God would ever want to part with them is beyond me, but I'm so thankful to Him for trusting me with their sweet spirits!

L