Enduring the winter

I've been thinking about what I could write about the last week and I haven't really been inspired to write about anything in particular. I haven't really been inspired this last week at all. The reality of motherhood and life is that sometimes we have a hard week. I had one of those last week.
Since before Christmas I have dealt with the following:
Isaac and Kaleb - stomach flu
Leslie - head virus & stomach flu
Kaleb - virus that turned into bronchitis
Jeff & Leslie - stomach bug
Isaac - fever and stomach bug
Isaac - strep
Isaac - virus on top of strep while taking antibiotics
Kaleb - fever & headache
Leslie - headache, body aches & cough

In all the 7 years of being a mom, this has NEVER happened quite like this. Each winter we pick up a stomach flu and maybe have one antibiotic per child for something else but I really can't remember the last time my kids were on an antibiotic before this winter so we've really done pretty good so far.

Trying to keep sanity, encouragement and strength during this time is hard for me. Last week I was in my house for 3 days straight. By day 3 I was grouchy, depressed and had little motivation for anything. Sick kids + hormones + cabin fever = not a very nice mommy.

By Friday I told Jeff I needed a date! So we did just that and it was exactly what I needed. Saturday we had some friends over so by the time I figured out that Kaleb was running a fever again on Sunday afternoon, I had been filled up enough to handle it. Thankfully the Lord has given me a span of 3-5 days between some of the sicknesses to get out, go to church and fill me back up before being depleted again. I think someone has been sick each week since before Christmas no week has been normal for awhile.

I'm ready to get back into a routine of feeling good, having healthy kids and getting things done. It creates an appreciation for health and the fact I take it for granted so many times. I'm sure the Lord will reveal many lessons to me during this time and my prayer is that I am open to them and learn from them. As I write with a cough and massive headache, I pray that the Lord will help me see Him in all of this and gain strength from Him. I have a feeling I'll have more to write about later as He continues to teach me through this season we are going through.