Sickies

Well, May started us off with a bunch of sickies! Literally... the first night of May, Collin woke up in the middle of the night throwing up. And continued to throw up the next three days, including running a fever off and on and just being completely wasted. There was no doubt he was sick, and I felt awful for him. Right about the same time, Olive started having terrible diarrhea. Hold on... you're going to want to hear about this.. it's so pleasant. :) This stuff was the worst I've seen in any of my kids. All day long, blowing out of every single diaper. Literally, EVERY time I'd get her out of her crib, the sheets would be ruined. I was doing her laundry constantly. On top of multiple baths a day and lots and lots of Vaseline and Aquafor being lathered on in abundance. All while she screamed and cried. The poor girl was hurting and not keeping quiet about it either. We had to have gone through 70 diapers that week. My hands were the worst I've ever seen them from so much washing. Completely dried out and cracking at ever joint. I could barely move them and they'd bleed constantly. I'd mix in probiotics with her food at least once a day and rub DigetZen on her tummy before bed. OH! And I completely forgot... the same time her diarrhea started, she got pink eye. Bad pink eye. And the second day, it was in the other eye too! I had some leftover eye cream from the last time she had pink eye, but it didn't do anything to help. Her eyes stayed red, swollen and goopy/crusty for a whole week. She'd just look at me with those sad eyes and my heart would drop to the floor. It was so pathetic looking. I remember the first Thursday night that it got bad, Travis was at the church of course and I just rocked her for over an hour while she layed on me, squirming in discomfort and moaning. Just crying out in pain for over an hour. It was like she was injured animal. My heart was aching for her. She also ran a fever off and on. And her symptoms were solid for an entire week!

She was sitting on my stomach when all of a sudden, her diaper and my clothes got the same treatment. I was soaked.

It just so happened that that Saturday of all the sick kids, was the day we needed to get the backyard ready for the sod we ordered. Travis was outside all day. Luckily, Olive took a really long nap and Collin just laid on the couch watching TV, so I was able to go out and help for the afternoon. I think I pulled weeds for at least 4 hours. The place was in bad shape. It was fairly comical to watch the rototiller take charge of Travis for 1/2 hour too. Ha. The poor man was sore all over the next day. That's some grade A hard dirt! He also spent hours hauling in peat, gypsum, and other soil materials to spread over everything. It a full day's work and we were all bushed. 

Travis was speaking at a baptism that night, so while he showered, I took Olive and drove to the other side of town to get these sandwiches for dinner that we really like. The days of sick kids, bleeding hands, and constant crying was weighing on me when a song came of the radio. 

"You're Gonna Miss This" by Trace Adkins.

It's a nostalgic, emotional song. Full of longing and memories.

 I'd heard it before, but it really hit home this time. I hung on every word.

"You're gonna miss this,

You're gonna want this back.

You're gonna wish these days, hadn't gone by so fast.

These are some good times,

So take a good look around...

You may not know it now,

But you're gonna miss this."

In one verse in talks about a repair man coming over and "one kid's crying and one kid's screaming." Haha. It made me chuckle. Oh how I can relate! How ALL mom's can relate!

But then I just started bawling. Completely losing it. 

Because I knew that song was right. 

It reminded me that I absolutely will miss this someday. I knew that, as sure as I knew I had changed 5 million diapers that week! :) And it reminded me how good my life is. It is unbelievably good. And we had still had a good day. It felt wonderful to work hard in the yard. It felt right to be together as a family. It reminded me of my own childhood memories of Saturdays. A freshly cut lawn, tuna fish sandwiches together for lunch with Ruffles dipped in sour cream, the smell of a carport just sprayed off and a clean house. Settling down to watch Star Search in the evening. And just a HAPPY feeling throughout the house. I loved my childhood. And I love my life with my children now.

And then right after that first song, another one came right after it...

"It's a Hell of a Life" by Frankie Ballard

This song is a bit more hopeful and upbeat. Makes you want to tap your foot and sway back and forth. But it also makes you reflect on what you have in your life.

And one part of the chorus says,

"The bad times make the good times better."

I think I started with a fresh new wave of sobs every time he sung that line. 

Because it's true. It's so so true. 

And there is purpose and meaning in the bad times. We need them. They absolutely make the good times better. And it's all alright. It will always be alright. It's a hell of a life. I couldn't agree more. And I'm unbelievably grateful that it's my life. Wouldn't trade it for anyone else's in the world.