Merry Sickmas---Ho Ho Achoooo

Well, for over a week now my family has been sick. Ugh. It started off last week on Thursday with Sam waking up at night with a fever and throwing up. He was sick all weekend. Max had a cold and coughed horribly and developed a fever also within a day of this. At the end of the weekend they seemed better and went to school Monday and Tuesday, but by 3:00 Tuesday afternoon they both had a fever and Sam now had the cold that Max had. So did Jason for that matter---and the fever. Sam had some virus and Max didn't, just a cold, but he also had swollen lymph nodes that were infected and couldn't eat or drink due to the pain. Ugh. Yesterday I hit a brick wall with the cold and am home today with Sam, both of us sick. The antibiotics worked on Max and he has been fever free two days now and was able to go to school. Whew. I am ready to sanitize the house and be germ free!

Anyway, Sam got angry with Maizie the other day when she tried to get him to play with her and nipped at him to get his attention. He yelled, "I'm so made at you! All I do is give you tender love and you bite me!" I just have to laugh about the "tender love" bit. I don't know where he heard that one. His current thing, which has been for the last 3 months, has been he wants to give me "married kisses". He holds my face in his hands and tilts his head to the side, seriously, and slowly gives me a long kiss on the lips. Jason and I keep telling him that that kind of kiss is only for mommy's and daddy's. But he is still enthralled by it. He also has to tell me 10 times a day in gestures (baby sign language) "I love you".

The kids have been sick and want me to snuggle with them so they have both been on either side of my lap coughing on me and snuggling. I love the snuggle time, but not the germs and ultimate sickness. Ooooh it is bitter sweet. As they get older I know I will have less of this snuggle time and am grateful for it now, but not the germs. I do have to say, though that looking back at last year at this time, this season is much merrier. Last year we were planning a funeral for Jason's grandmother in Coffeyville and wrapping up her affairs, our beloved dog Moses died two days before Christmas, Jason's job at Apache was having major upheaval with changes and people leaving so he was looking for a new job and stressed and our finances were in worse shape than now. So, each year does get better. I have to remind myself about the blessings and how God is providing and set my mind and heart on an attitude of gratitude.

I hope your holiday season is going well and is germ free and full of His blessings. Take care!