In Praise of Mom

(This could also be titled "Potty Training Days 3-7.)

After Tuesday, I was figuring we were in the clear since we had all been sick and I was counting on it just being a 24-hour flu kind of thing. Not so.

Thursday night as James and I were working on projects in the main bath again, trying to get it ready for my mom's visit, I started feeling ill. It was about 8:00pm and all the kids were already in bed. My mom was already in Tucson, just stopping at Joann to pick up a few more items as we had planned on sewing a few more dresses for the girls this weekend. (We had also intended to shampoo my rug and pick apart my couches, as the sides eat things and I don't have the equipment to put them back together. Fortunately for me, my mother has upholstery experience and a power stapler!)

She arrived at our house around 9 and by then I was feeling really sick. Could not believe I could be so sick AGAIN! Twice in one week? Are you kidding me?

I woke up just as sick Friday morning and have to bless my mom. She heard the twins crying and just beat me to their room. We both went in and were greeted by the stench of vomit. Both kids had thrown up and had diarrhea. Try as I might, all I was able to help with was stripping the cribs. My angel of a mother bathed both kids and got the laundry going. After she sent me back to bed, I heard her take Trevy to the potty. I have never been so grateful to have my mother here. It was so nice to be able to crawl back to bed and curl up in the fetal position and sleep through some of the nausea.

Alas, we didn't get much done at all on Friday. (It's actually a bit of a blur, but I'm pretty sure doing laundry and snuggling sick kiddos took the vast majority of our time and energy.)

Saturday dawned much more hopeful. Still an underlying queasiness, buut we did get the couches cleaned out (found a much-missed ring that James had made for me in dental school, a missing puzzle piece and my favorite kiddo nail clipper) and one of the dresses cut out. We had planned on attending a cook-out our beautiful neighbor, Melissa, had planned, but we didn't want to spread the sickness. Bless her, she brought us burgers and hot dogs for dinner anyway!

Hopeful was I that we were finally through all the sickness, but I didn't feel like we should spread it through the ward, so I called a friend to cover Primary music. Thank goodness! At 2am this morning, my stomach acid started churning again. Yes, folks. Three times in one week. I have never felt so awful in my life. (Lest you be wondering, no it is most definitely not morning sickness.) Trevy woke up as I was sitting in the hall nursing the Pepto bottle and I attempted to take her to the toilet. We both ended up sitting on the floor of the bathroom while I tried not to throw up,.

We made it back to my bed and ended up waking James up. He gave me a blessing and took Trevy back to her bed. I don't remember much beyond that until morning. He took Trevlyn to church and Bridgette stayed home with me to help with the twins so I could go back to sleep. So incredibly nice! I feel so fortunate to have had someone to help me both days. The only time I don't enjoy being a mom is when I'm sick. Although I guess this has been kind of a benefit this week as I can completely empathize with my children, know what they feel like eating and what they probably don't.

We all seem to be feeling better right now. Please please please let the third time be the charm! (Obviously no 3-day potty training for us, but I'll take 3 days of sickness being it instead!)

Thanks again, Mom! Thanks again, Auntie Bridge and Melissa! We love you all!