The mom job first.

Thought I’d put on a little make-up today. Yeah, I know. Shut the front door!

I woke up this morning thinking, “Yea! I can get on with my life today…” Then came the next blow.

You see we’ve been hit by the flu. Slammed.

A trip to the hospital

It all began with a phone call. Dad was being rushed to the hospital by ambulance and could I meet my parents at the ER. I dropped everything and rushed over.

Dad spent the night in ER and was transferred to the ICU at a grotesque hour of the night. Five days later he was released from the hospital to continue to recover at home.

Funny hospital story #1

You know me, I love to remember the funny things that happen. One of my favorite stories was when the doctor visiting my dad looked up at me and asked me if I had gotten a flu shot. “No,” I replied.

He gave me what I can only describe as a look of disdain. Clearly he was unhappy with my answer.

“But my dad did!” I pointed down to him in his hospital bed and gave the doctor my best challenging look. Ha! I even got a chuckle out of the doctor, so glad he had a sense of humor.

Funny hospital story #2

Two nights in a row Dad had the same nurse. The second night I mentioned my kids. She looked so shocked and said she thought I was a teenager. “In fact when you first came in here, I wondered how you passed security. It surprised me how you took charge and how in control you were…for a teenager.” Later I heard my dad tell her that I’m 36 and she was so shocked…that I was that old. Ha!! He was off by a decade. It must have been the extra oxygen or something. Dad knows how old I am, but I sure didn’t correct him. Hey, if I had to spend 5 days in the hospital worrying about my dad, I was glad to get this kick out of it! If only… 🙂

Back at the ranch

I came home exhausted. It was like I hadn’t slept for a week. My body sure knows I’m no teenager!

And…my two eldest kids had the flu. No rest for the wicked!

The next week my third daughter woke up with the flu.

This week I had two on the mend and my third hadn’t had a fever for two days. Today I woke up ready to tackle life again. I was going to getter done. And then wouldn’t you know it? My two boys woke up with fevers. Here we go again. So much for my to do list. “This is the life,” I thought to myself. Yes. I even use sarcasm when talking to myself!

This is the Life

Then came my light bulb moment. This IS the life. Caring for the people I love most when they are the sickest may not be the funnest job in the world, but it’s exactly where I want to be. What a blessing that I CAN be there, that I have jobs that can wait when need be.

The mom job first.

My mom job, that’s the most important one. It’s the one I wanted and dreamed about. I don’t stay home and homeschool my kids because it’s the funnest job in the world, though we do have fun. The daily ends and outs of life at home can be hard and tedious y’all. If you’ve never done it, you probably don’t believe me at all, bless your heart! 😉

Thought I’d put on a little make-up today.

So as I’m heading into week 3 of the flu with the family I love, I decided that today I’d put a little make-up on and brush my hair. It took a while to find my make-up bag; my brush was dusty. I may not be going anywhere or “getting anything done,” but today I’ll look alive!

Here I go conquering the world, one runny nose at a time. Because this mom job, it comes first.