When Mommy Has Germs

The tables have turned in our household and, in an amusing role reversal, my toddlers are lecturing me on the importance of cleanliness. I picked up some kind of virus, possibly flu, and have been absolutely miserable the last 24 hours. Abby informed me that I, obviously, do not know how to wash my hands correctly since I must have touched someone else's germs, and insisted that she must teach me how. She has been a huge help in keeping an eye on her younger brothers. Corbin has been bringing me tissues and telling me to drink my water and take my "viamins," and was worried that if I am sick, then Samuel might be sick, too. I reassured him that Samuel is fine, it is only Mommy that touched the germs. :) Daniel is too young to "help" yet, but has been keeping Mommy company since he is feeling under the weather, as well. They all make sweet little nurses, even if they do make a mess of the place in the process!

My husband wasn't able to take off work (although he did just call to say he is on his way home early -- HALLELUJAH!), so the kids have been getting a quick lesson in survival of the fittest! :) These are the days where I have to remind myself to "let it go!" Let it go that the kids spent three and a half hours like vegetables in front of PBS. Let it go that for lunch they had frozen corn dogs, fishy crackers, and fruit snacks. Let it go that when they wanted a snack I couldn't get up to wash and prepare fresh fruit for them as usual, but told them instead to "grab something out of the pantry" (they chose pretzel sticks, thank God, since the chocolate baking chips were too high for their little eyes to spot!). Let it go that the house, in 24 hours, turned into what looks like a crime scene (complete with broken glass, the only thing I DID gather the energy to immediately clean up). And let it go that when my babies came up with a book asking me to read, I simply had to say, "Not right now, sweetie, Mommy's throat hurts really bad."

While these are the days that might linger on my Mommy-conscience, I'm optomistically hopeful that they are not the ones that will linger in their memories. I have to remind myself that, unless I let TV and "not right now" become the norm, these days are not what will fill their childhood memories. And, in all honesty, if they do remember them, they will likely remember them as the super fun days when they got to eat whatever they wanted and watch TV -- not as neglectful ones as my guilt would like to convince me.

So, no read aloud today. No library. No science experiments. No building tents out of couch cushions. No walks to the park. No sitting on the floor with building blocks. And that is just fine! Today Mommy needs to rest and take care of herself. Honestly, even if it is not because of illness, we all need to do that from time to time. I think we sometimes forget that we have physical needs, too, and let those get put on the backburner. It is then that God will graciously come and knock you on your backside with the flu, His gentle reminder to "let it go" and slow down for awhile.

Please excuse me now, for I am going to go crash on the couch and stare at the ceiling until my hubby gets home. And while I would usually leave you with an encouragement to read to your children, today I remind you only that balance is what helps make our children's lives healthy, as well as our own. Part of that balance is REST! I'm going to go get mine, make sure to find time to get some rest for yourself, too! (oh, and try to do so BEFORE you get sick -- it's much more pleasant that way!) ;)