When Mama gets the flu … {the kids are blessed}

Along with smallness and not-enough-ness, last week also included the flu. 

Ugh. I can’t remember the last time I had the flu. But I won’t forget this time for quite awhile, that’s for sure. This was like nothing I’ve ever had before.

As long as I kept up the Advil I could get out of bed for little bits, make lunch, do a bit of school with the kids. But as soon as it began to wear I was flat on my back. Couldn’t move. This mama wasn’t going nowhere.

The first day, I did the obvious, and stupid: I told the kids to go play while I laid in my bed and … studied. Yes. Guilty as charged. I have a big conference coming up and was down to the wire on getting my note-taking sheets in, and this would be perfect.

Except it wasn’t perfect. The kids bickered. Little tiff here and little tiff there until finally I told them to come get on the bed with me. They weren’t allowed to leave my room. We would play and do our whole day right there. Right there. Together.

Wouldn’t you know it … it worked.

Like a charm.

We sat on my bed and read books. And books and books and books. They wanted every single word of every single giant DK Discovery book, every dinosaur description and every last detail about the Tropical Emperor Moth Caterpillar.  And we read it all. More than once.

We pulled Candyland up on the bed. Weighted the board with shoes on the corners. Hopped along the sweet lane to King Kandy’s castle. They cheered and laughed and clapped. I even had fun.

On day two they dressed up. Pulled the dress-up chest into my room. After adorning themselves as a cowboy and princess they adorned me (yes!) as I lay on the bed. When Jeff came home I was wearing a sequined 20s Flapper hat, sparkly pink beads, elbow-length gloves and a gun-holster.  I think I even fell asleep like that.

By the third day they were itchin’ to get outside. The sun came out, and Dutch’s latest love is baseball so he begged me to pitch him a few rounds. I dragged myself outside but quickly realized standing up wasn’t going to work. So I put a pillow down on the grass, wrapped myself in a fleece blanket, and laid right there in the front yard while they played.

And played and played and played.

2 1/2 hours later they were still going strong. We played frisbee (I throw it from lying down and they retrieve, like puppies, and bring it back). We played a version of Duck-Duck-Goose which involved then standing nearby and me saying duck-duck-duck-duck-duck-GOOSE! then they ran like wild animals to a nearby tree and back. They both “won” everytime. Beautiful. Then of course we played hide and seek. I hid in my blanket (surprise!) and Heidi thought it was the greatest delight to search all over the yard and “find” me once again.

Then they grew tired of me and were content to play on their own. I pulled the blankets over my head and ignored the neighbors driving by, they must have thought I was crazy.

When Jeff came home from work we were playing Red-Light-Green-Light, Me flat on my back giving red and green commands while they raced toward me, all ridiculous giggles. (Yes, he snapped a pic.)

A little sheepishly, I must admit: I think my kids like the flu. Although they were sad to see me in pain (Heidi kept saying, “In five minutes you feel better?”) they sure got a whole lot of my attention. No scurrying around, cleaning, playdates, meetings, errands.

A friend texted me earlier: “What’s God teaching you through this?” I had no idea.

Now I know.

{Thanks for reading.}