Sick, Sick, Sick

I really am getting quite tired of the illnesses running around this family (see "Ode to My Mind" 0n Jan 6). It seems like it will never end! Just this month, we've had Emily with her 2nd round of strep, Rachel with her 2nd ear infection in 3 weeks, Caleb with who knows what (a cold on top of a cold probably), me with a sinus infection, and Josh home from school because his throat hurt. And that was all by the 15th of the month!!!

Yesterday, though, was the day of all sick days. Picture this: sitting in Stake Conference, listening as best we can, me beaming with pure joy because Jared is sitting on the bench with us, Rachel busy and noisy as usual, Emily and Josh asking when we will be done every five minutes for the entire last hour. We come to the closing prayer, and all of a sudden, Caleb starts throwing up! And Jared can't find the burper to contain things! And we're having a lovely conversation - "Caleb's throwing up! I can't find the burper!" "Well, isn't it in his carseat with him?" "I thought it was, but I can't find it anywhere!" - right during the middle of the prayer. Thank heavens it wasn't during the opening prayer!!

You might think the fun ends there. Oh, how wonderful that would be. Caleb had one more small episode of throwing up later in the afternoon. But the real fun starts about 5 p.m. I am getting a few last things ready for dinner. I am standing at the sink, Caleb is on the floor right by my feet, and Rachel is standing next to me. All of a sudden, she throws up, and poor Caleb is the very ungrateful and unlucky recipient of its landing!! So Jared whisks Caleb off to the bathtub while I clean up the rug and Rachel, who at this point is looking stunned and slightly pale.

Clean up accomplished. So we sit down to have dinner. Rachel sat in her highchair and sucked on an ice cube while we had our food - sorry Rachel, I'm sure you don't want anything to eat, and I know I don't want you to have anything. We finished up, cleaned up, and I went to take Rachel out of her high chair, when the volcano erupted, AGAIN!!! And this time it splashed all over my foot! As I look at Rachel, I see that face - HERE IT COMES AGAIN!! And I, being the very loving mother that I am, make a quick run for it to avoid getting it all over the rest of me! Jared whisked her off to the tub and I cleaned up the highchair and floor.

Well, to make a long story a bit shorter, we ended the night with Caleb getting yet another bath (his 3rd in 24 hours) and both of them going to bed early! Whew!!

Please, oh please, let this be the end, the grand finale, the final episode of illnesses in this house!!