The Mother of all Stomach Virus's

We just lived through the mother of all stomach bugs. Sunday morning Kenzie threw up without a warning and was quickly followed by Aubrey doing the same. Nothing stayed down the entire day and by 11 p.m. when they couldn't keep down a Popsicle our doc advised us to go to the ER b/c they had had no wet diapers all day and she was concerned about dehydration.

My parents met us over there and stayed with us while we waited. I'm grateful they came, I was struggling with a lot of fear if they were going to get IV's... just thinking about them poking their little arms with their veins all shrunken up made me want to puke! My mom joked that again they were caring for the care givers (that's their role to care for Angie when Jeff gets sick... they really are the best!) They prayed for us before they left that the girls wouldn't need IV's and my sister and Andrew were praying as well. Thank the Lord they didn't! They were given a drug that immediately stopped the vomiting and they were able to keep fluid down since then.

Monday they slept all day. Tuesday Aubrey woke up covered in vomit and diarrhea and then threw up again around 5 p.m. (I panicked and called the doctor, but she said it was ok as long as they were still drinking). They both kept down half a soft pretzel that Jake brought home for them. I asked Kenzie if she wanted Daddy to bring her home anything and she said, "Can he get me a soft pretzel from the soft pretzel store (Wawa)?" It seemed to do the trick and they woke up with more energy this morning. It lasted for 30 mins and then they were back to laying on the couch without moving. They perked up again this afternoon for 2 hrs and we played some games and now they are both asleep. Kenzie is still telling me her stomach hurts and they've had a ton of diarrhea today, but so far they've kept the food down (I made a soft pretzel run to Wawa at 6 a.m. so there would be stuff here they'd want to eat)

My poor babies!

Here is how I've seen God at work in this: If someone had told me when I became a mom that there would be a day my 2-year-old would actually throw up on my face and get it in my mouth, I would have run screaming! Or if someone had told me that I'd have one kid throw up all over our couch at the same time the other threw up all over the rug, I'd cry. Or if someone had told me that at one point I'd have a kid with diarrhea taking off her diaper at the same time the other one is puking all over the rug and a stack of library books... I would have quit while I was ahead. But in those moments, I've met God in a whole new way.

There is something amazing about being in a situation that you just have to get through and there is no one else around to help you... it's just you and God! Like the baby powder incident (although I'd take ten of those days to one of these), I just had to get through it and there was no one there to help me except God alone! I've found these verses to be so true: "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Is. 41:10)

Being a mom has made me more aware of my need for grace more than anything else. I am so grateful for the grace God pours out when I come to the end of myself. I'm always so quick to turn to other people for answers whenever I'm going through something, but God is teaching me more and more how He alone is sufficient for my every need. Sure He uses other people often in my life, but there is something so special feeling His tangible care for me in circumstances such as the above. He surely does "gently lead those with young." (Is. 40:11)

I'm grateful for these past few days at home with my sick girls. I'm grateful for all the snuggle time. I'm grateful that I've been able to give them drinks and food that has helped them. I'm grateful for this country and this century where we have drugs that can prevent bigger problems. I'm grateful we have health insurence. I'm grateful for our library with tons of free movies so I don't have to watch the same Dora the Explorer over and over. I'm grateful for my husband who has worked so hard to keep me a stay-at-home mom so when these situations come up it's not a question of who is going to stay home with the kids. I'm grateful for my mom who went grocery shopping for me so I wouldn't have to leave my girls. I'm grateful for the tender side of Mackenzie that I've gotten to see more of since she has been slowed down a lot by this illness. I'm grateful for the leaps in language development I've seen in Aubrey as I've been able to slow down and spend more time holding her and listening to her talk to me. And I'm so grateful Jake and I didn't get it cuz it looks like death to go through! My list goes on and on.........

So we are surviving, they are getting better, God is big and huge and I'm learning to love and trust him more. I can say that I am thankful for this stomach virus... and I'm grateful no one told me about these days that would happen before I became a mom because I never would have wanted them, but I'm grateful for them in hindsight!