Remembering...

The flu hit our house last night. Thankfully, it ran it's course in about seven hours or so. High fevers, aches, and a little throwing up...Very short lived. Whew!

I was sitting there holding Hannah, my cheek warm from pressing it against her forehead every few seconds to see if she was still burning up, and I recalled the time- just a week after her birth- when Ryan thought he was coming down with the flu.

He wasn't feeling well so he went upstairs to lay down- telling me not to worry he was not bringing the flu into our house with a brand new baby. He was willing himself not to get sick. I sat downstairs holding Hannah tight- she was so tiny as she had arrived in this world three weeks early. And as I sat there, all I could think is: this baby cannot get sick. She can NOT get sick. She's too little.

It was smack-dab in the middle of flu season and when I had brought her in for her check-up only a few days after birth, the nurse hurried me down the back halls so I could bypass the germ-infestd waiting room and rushed me out just as quickly afterwards. Do NOT stop to make an appointment, she warned, just call when you get home. The flu and RSV are running crazy.I rushed out of the hospital with those words ringing in my ears and a blanket completely covering my baby in an effort to keep away airborne illness.

And yet, here we were at home a few days after that, and Ryan was feeling sick. I went crazy. I pulled out the bottle of Lysol and sprayed and wiped down every surface possible. I slathered my hands with anti-bacterial gel until they were raw, dry, and burning. And I did the same for the other two kids. Whenever they'd walk by, I'd make them smear hand sanatizer on. Lydia began to call it "Hannahtizer."

Thankfully, whatever it was, it did not settle in our house. It was not meant to be and for that we were so relieved. Looking back on my outburst of fear, made me realize how strong that need is to protect our children. As any mother who has given birth and loves her children can relate- with the birth of a child also comes the fierce determination to do whatever we can to gaurd those precious ones from harm. It's overpowering, even when we know the end result is not up to us.

Kids will drive us crazy sometimes, they test our patience on a daily basis... they say things we'd rather they didn't every now and then... They fight with each other until we feel like we'd like to run away, they tattle, they taunt, they make us understand what our own mothers went through.

But that need to keep them safe... it never goes away. No matter what.


Anyways... If your house is getting hit with this bug, just know it's short-lived.

Enjoy your weekend. We're off to visit with some couples after awhile and I'm really looking forward to it. Beautiful evening for a bonfire!