The Plague

The vomit plague that is...it has hit and hit bad!!! It all started Saturday morning when Asher threw up, followed by Braden and I getting sick Sunday night, followed by Austin getting sick yesterday and then...are you ready...after almost 48 hours of feeling better....Braden threw up again last night. So now I've got Austin throwing up in one bathroom, Braden throwing up in another one and Asher who is aimlessly wandering about fussing and crying because he is bored out of his mind and his ears are still hurting from 6, yes 6 weeks worth of ear infections. On a side note, Asher's been on 4 antibiotics now and 6 weeks later, there is still fluid in his ears. We've been to two doctors now and they are telling me that tubes may be in his near future...boo...yet another plague!!!!

Anyway, back to Braden...what the heck, more throw up??????!!!!!!! And let me tell you, it's not like Braden picked up another bug from somewhere else because we have all sat here and stared at these walls since Saturday morning. So after feeling sorry for myself and some tears of frustration on my part, I gathered myself together and called the doctor. And the doctor informed me that some stomach bugs will linger on like this for an entire week. AN ENTIRE WEEK!!!! Huh? But what about my thanksgiving plans and what about my vomit phobia and what about the fact that I am about to be buried alive in laundry and what about the fact that we have been eating chicken noodle soup, popsicles and saltines for 5 days now and I don't think I can eat it one more night of it, and what about the fact that I have Lysoled the entire house 10 times over and I still can't stop the germs and what about the fact that I have prayed and prayed and prayed for it to end and God has chosen to let us walk through this sickness. In the end, I realized that it doesn't really matter what I want. This is life...especially life with kids. In the end, I realized that I am so thankful for a husband who loves me and helps me even in the wee hours of the morning. For a husband who holds my boys tight and loves on them while their little bodies are burning with fever. In the end I realized how much respect I have for single parents who have no other option, no one to ask for help, no one to give them a break. In the end I realized that I am so thankful to have these little boys to care for and love. In the end I realized that I am thankful for little boys who still smile even though their tummies are sick. In the end I realized that I am thankful that God blessed us with an incredible week of unseasonably warm weather which saved our sanity when we just needed to get out of the house for a few minutes. So all that to say, it has not been a fun week or one that I ever hope to repeat, but despite all the chaos I have found myself so grateful to God for all of his many blessings. Here is to healthier days...

Fall Fun

What a wonderful fall we've had. The weather has been amazing, the leaves beautiful and despite a month and a half long ear infection from the littlest man, we've had a great few weeks. I treasure these times...warm days, playing outside till dark, jumping in ginormous piles of leaves, numerous trips to the park. These are some good times and I'm thankful to be home to experience them. Here are my boys playing, laughing, fighting....and on any given day they do any or all of the above all day long.

Wagon time (an afternoon must) -
Asher so kindly sharing his cracker. My boys always share so well...ha!!!!
Sweet Ash enjoying his cracker -
Love this little smile -
Nothing better then jumping in a huge pile of leaves -
Nothing sweeter then a leaf fight with your three year old -
Tyson was right in the middle of it too -
Little man slept through the first half of the leaf jumping festivities, but made it out just in time to enjoy -
And now that the weather has turned cold and it's dark at 4:45pm, we'll do a lot of recreational bathing...what kid doesn't love a bubble bath -
We'll also be doing some random art projects -

Notice the lovely finger paint job on the wall behind Braden. I was trying to fix dinner and noticed the boys were both being a little too quiet...all of the sudden I realized the lights were off and I come out to find a lovely picture on the wall, the light switch and on Braden. Nice! So thankful for washable finger paint.
Oh and there will be lots of extra reading too -