What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger is right! Last week a case of Gastroenteritis entered our home and refused to leave until every last one of us, and my parents, were stricken with it!
Times like those, whether caring for the sick or being the sick yourself, it is very difficult to find the Simple Joys in life.
But, I did realize that looking for and ultimately finding the Simple Joys are the ways we come through these terrible times unscathed.
So, without further ado, is this week’s Simple Joys.
Spacing. It’s not easy to find a lot to be grateful for when a child is in the home miserable, with terrible things coming out of both ends.
But, when more than one child lives in the house it is a blessing when the illness, which, no matter how much you scrub and disinfect, is bound to spread, spaces itself out.
It is difficult enough to care for the physical and emotional needs of a child going through this torture, but to have to be there for more than one child at a time would be terribly stressful.
This week it was a Simple Joy to not have more than one child sick at the exact same time.
Fever. Fever in and of itself is never a Simple Joy, but when my daughter was stricken with one this past week it did make her much more apt to cuddle me, her mother.
As those of you with restless, curious, and kinetic-energy riddled two-year-olds know, cuddling is the last thing on their list of priorities.
Having my daughter stop for cuddles, even fever-induced ones, was a small consolation of a Simple Joy under the circumstances.
Reprieve – lunch out. With it being the last week of school in our district, a celebratory feel was in the air. Wanting each child to have their special day my parents and I worked out two separate occasions to go to kid-friendly restaurants for lunch out.
Despite the rampant virus, for whatever reason, we were able to get the children out, enjoy a peaceful and fun-filled lunch and get home before the virus’ full impact returned.
Getting out of the house and dining with my children was a Simple Joy I will remember fondly.
Radio Show. The virus struck me hard Friday night into Saturday morning. For me, the worst part, besides going through it, was knowing I had a radio program to do on Saturday morning, early. I love doing the show and with it being such late notice I didn’t feel comfortable canceling out.
I barely had the energy, but packed with a glass full of ice chips for strength and rehydration I soldiered on and did the show. I was rewarded with my body and mind reacting in the positive – it was a great show and I was on the entire time, not just the two segments I was promised!
Being loyal to my job and coming through victoriously after being ravaged by illness was a Simple Joy I am proud to crow!
Father’s Day. Finally my husband fell to this nasty bug, the night before Father’s Day. We had tickets to a minor league baseball game to attend with the Cub Scouts. I offered him an out as, once the bug passes it leaves you wiped out for days. Instead, my husband was gung ho for the day.
The pre-game was fantastic – from tossing balls on the field with his boys to getting to see the dugout and meet former Yankee Sparky Lyle – and the game was, too! The home team won 3-2 at the bottom of the ninth after being tied 2-2 from the third inning.
Getting able to spend such a fun-filled day with my husband on Father’s Day was a Simple Joy I was pleased and relieved to get to experience with him.
There were times last week I was sure there were no Simple Joys to be found, but then something would happen and I would smile, or laugh, or simply exhale.
Simple Joys, even in times of illness, can and do exist.
Wishing you all Simple Joys!
Please join me tomorrow as I wax poetic on yet another topic on Chief 187™Chatter on freestyle Wednesday!
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