colds

It has been decided.  The biggest big family problem is sickness.

Not everyone is sick. But not everyone has to be...it's still major. 

Two Monday's ago one girlie stayed home with a cold. Last Monday, another one did. Friday, Ben came home. Sunday, two were feeling awfully cruddy. By Monday morning, I had SIX sick children. By today, Matt at work from 5:45 am to 7:45 pm, I was swinging between a teeth-gritted verse of "count your blessings, count them one-by-one" and the "keep it together, keep it together" mantra. 

The worst, of course, is Emma. She can't breathe, she can't eat, and she's so miserable she just cries. And cries. And cries. In the middle of cleaning up who-knows-whos dirty Kleenex, pouring more orange juice, wiping rivers of boogies and crocodile tears from Ben's weary face, making tea for the bigs....Emma is crying, and crying, and crying. I've slept the last two night's in Lady Jane's chair, trying to help her breathe by keeping her upright, but dear girl hasn't shaken it yet.

It is the perfect storm for the practice of patience. 

And keeping it together.

And He is. 

He met me as I walked one crying baby and the two littles around the one mile loop, having to get out and yet everyone too sick to actually go anywhere. 

He met me as the rain poured and I read the four bigs a few chapters of our ancient Egyptian novel...and despite wails from Emma, they were enraptured and loving resting and learning. 

He met me in breakfast family devotions, a simple lesson on being made in His image.

He met me by giving me sufficient health to nurse so many, despite feeling like everyone's Kleenex and scattered sleep. 

He met me by being the friend that I needed this long day with no other adult...the One who saw, the One who knew, the One who helped simply by being there and loving us each, made in His image. 

Pray for all these coughing Ayars. And today...He is WITH you...look around.