Sick Days

I woke up this morning knowing that a doctor's visit was in store for me. It started on Saturday, but frankly I did not feel that I had the time to go to an urgent treatment center and was hoping that the issue would just disappear. So I self treated with cranberry juice and gallons of water. Anyone who has ever had a UTI will recognize my efforts.

Today the razor blades had not disappeared AND I was running a low grade fever. Accompanying these symptoms must havebeen a sickly looking mother as well because the whole family sprang into action. I was placed on the couch with pillows and blanket. Laurel made oatmeal, Kiley made coffee (probably a mistake but I needed it!) and Spencer gathered his favorite toys for me to look at with him. Even his potato-shaped rock! Lee made an appointment with our physician and even offered to take me since I was feeling so puny.

Did I mention that I took the kids to the library before my appointment so that they could get their required reading assignments? I spent most of the time in the bathroom with the kids knocking on the door asking, "How many books can we get?" I calmly explained that I was just dying and that everything would be fine and that I couldn't care less how many books they got.

The biggest downside to sick days when you home school is that there is no substitute teacher. I had to hope that the older two would do their reading for history and literature and feel motivated to do some math without me using the electric cattle prod*. Spencer could get most of his work done this evening or make it up throughout the week.

Frankly, no mother should ever be sick for more than 12 hours. The havoc that can be wreaked! I remember emerging from the bedroom after 5 days with the flu....we still refer to as the Day Not to be Spoken Of. But that's a story for another day.

So I made it home from the doctor with antibiotics and cranberry pills. As I walked into the house I witnessed miracles!! The kitchen was clean and Kiley and Laurel were able to answer my questions about Justinian and the beginning of the Byzantine Empire! I took a a thirty minute nap.

And the sick day is over.

There are happy sounds of bickering, piano practicing, complaining that there's no food in the house, toddlers eating dog food, and questions about the whereabouts of clean laundry.

One of them even declared that they will be not be using plates for their food anymore.

"It's not hard to load your own plate," I encouraged.

"It's not that I think it's hard. It's just that I'm against loading the dishwasher in general."

No one can say that I do not have a purpose filled life.

*cattle prod not really used around here