Deployment Day #14

I knew this would happen and I’m surprised it took two weeks.

“Mom.”

“Mom!”

“MOM!!!”

“I’m sick.”

My kids like to get sick when I’m the only parent. In fact I think they plan it. Whether it’s the stomach flu, regular flu, strep throat, ear infections, general unnamed illnesses that cause them to wake me up in the middle of the night, they get it.

Maybe it is because I’ve been a single parent a lot of the time or maybe my kids just get sick a lot, I’m not really sure.

The problem is, even after seven kids I’m not really good with the middle of the night, “I’m sick” routine.

I either get up, stumble into the bathroom, grab random medicines, and then fall back into bed only to wake up and not remember anything.

Or I get up, stumble into the bathroom, grab random medicines, and then fall back into bed only to then become wide awake.

My initial response to “I’m sick” is always,

“Get a drink of water and go back to bed, you’re fine.”

Then they usually cough, snot, or vomit on me and I’m forced to act.

Since their dad use to be a nurse my kids have grown accustom to the pharmacy we have in the bathroom and usually insist on some kind of medicine. Since I pay absolutely no attention to medicine, because I only take it if I’m dying- I am not the best person to be dosing it out around here.

Tonight it was the 13 year old and I am now wide awake, way before acceptable waking hours. I should be doing something productive with this time, but the house is freezing and I don’t want to get out of bed. I’ve spent the past hour watching Disney covers on youtube and pinning blue and silver Christmas decorations, pretending my house is is going to be put back together before Christmas.

On a happier note we went to the pet store to buy dog food and a bird feeder today. I was able to successfully fend off the pleas for several rodents, a kitten, and fish.

Victory.

My husband has been deployed to the Middle East for 274 days.  These are my real thoughts expressing my heart during his absence.  I appreciate your prayers and kind words as we cope, adapt, and carry on without him until August 2014.  To read from the beginning, click here.