And So It Came...

Dear Mom,

Yes, it came, no...not the snow, though that did come this week, too.  Sadly, I'm talking about.....the dreaded flu!  I was just recently thinking that we were seeming to have escaped it...then it came!  Monday morning as I was about to head to school you started throwing up a little.  It was just a little, so I didn't think much of it, and thought maybe I would still try to make it into school.  Then it happened again...and again...and again.  All day you were struggling from both ends.  It was not pretty.  I pretty much did laundry all day Monday.  I was starting to run out of towels and your pj's.  Thankfully, the washer and dryer never gave out on me, so I kept up with it OK.  It was a long, busy day.  You wouldn't remember to put the bucket in front of you when you needed to throw up, so that's where it got tough.  And no matter how much I would try to remind you, you didn't remember.  I was just praying for Tuesday to come, because I figured if it was a 24 thing, then you would be done.  Then we could just try to get you feeling better.  Then....Tuesday came, with a whole new bag of tricks.  That's when I started with it all...ugh!  That was another long day!  I was back and forth in the bathroom, and still trying to help you feel better.  Here it is Thursday night and we are getting better, but still have a little of the symptoms left.  Never imagined it would be this long!  The morning has been the hardest because during the night you have unknowingly been going to the bathroom as you have before, but now it's with part of the sickness still affecting you.  So, with my stomach already queasy and smells much more prevalent, with a greater chance of making me sick, it has been hard to change the bed in the morning.  The Lord has shown His grace and blessings through it all, though!  I am continually thankful that we did not get sick at the same time.  The Lord knows we only have one bathroom, and when you were sick, you would go in...and stay in.  You would fall asleep and be totally wiped out, many times I felt bad bothering you, so a couple of times you were in the bathroom for an hour or more.  That would not have worked if we were both sick at the same time.  A few times I would have to lift you or help you up from wherever you were seated because you didn't have strength to get up.  If I had been sick at that same time, that probably wouldn't have worked either.  The Lord also knew this was coming because He had me buy lots of groceries on Saturday, so we were good with that.  Then your pastor and our neighbor have been taking great care of us with homemade chicken soup, grape gatorade which you love (who knew, never thought you would like gatorade), gingerale, and clorox wipes.  We have been well taken care of!  And slowly we're getting better.  I'm not up to going to school tomorrow either, so I'll be home with you another day.  And maybe we'll be eating more than just toast and chicken soup soon!  I'm sorry that you have had a tough week, but boy, it once again just shows me how strong you are!  You constantly amaze me!  You have had some understandably very weak moments (such as the moment that you scared me awake very early one morning because you fell on the floor from your bed, I almost couldn't get you up, but eventually was able to), but you have also had some strong moments, and have been checking on me to make sure I'm feeling OK.  You're so sweet as you constantly ask that, almost as if you're not feeling badly yourself.  Praying we will keep getting better, be able to eat more, and get our strength back.  In time, I know...  I love you!