Monday finds us

...still hampered by sickness. Now my 19-month old Joyboy has also developed the dreaded croup, the horribly hollow raspy cough that keeps him up nights and leads to bleary days of sleep-deprived emotion. For the last 6 nights in a row, Copper and I have sat, wrapped in blankets, in the rocking chairs of our house all night long, holding our sleeping children upright so that they are able to breathe.

I have decided that our house may in fact need to be encased in a hygienic plastic bubble.

And, that human beings do generally require more than 3 hours of sleep per night to function on any reliable level of proficiency.

I have been a pathetically unworthy mother today. A shrill, exhausted, weary, impatient shell of myself. Thank God that He keeps His promise to be strong when I am weak. Because I would definitely have been Voted Off The Island today if LaLa and JoyBoy were at Tribal Council.

I woke up feeling sick, which worsened as the hours progressed. Both kids are still acutely ill and seek to be held or to cling to their Mama at all times. My impatient behavior even caused me to apologize to LaLa, seeking tearful forgiveness for a short-tempered response to her. Rain and our combined lack of health prevented outdoor excursions and added to the sense of palpable stir craziness permeating Casa Lachen. The TV was on way too often, grouchiness and naughtiness abounded, and far too few opportunities were capitalized on to engage with my children, teach them and meet their needs. Clients and work refused to relent from sunup to sundown, till I finally turned off the phone altogether, ignored the emails, and committed myself to denial of any more invasions of my day. Dinner was an interesting combination of random foods not commonly associated. But it was warm and edible and we were content to happily munch away at whatever was on our plates.

But bedtime! Ah, bedtime. This blessed time in our home tonight made up for the utterly abysmal day. It meant coveted snuggly time with my babies and husband in a warm and comfy house while rain pounded outside. Everyone freshly bathed and nestled cozily into their toasty beds. Copper rocking JoyBoy to sleep while I snuggled in under the covers and fell asleep next to LaLa - waking up an hour later to the sound of her deep sleep and a newfound contentment with the world.

I lie awake (barely) now, penning this entry, aware that one wall away lies my soundly slumbering son, and on the other side, my cozily snuggled daughter. All is content. All is peaceful. All is right with the world.

May morning not be the end of this trend, but the continuation....