Grateful
Wednesday, March 21, 2012 at 10:52PM The girls' trip that I went on two weeks ago (what? That long already?!) is a trip that is annual. I have not always been able to go (twice we had just moved, once I was still nursing Eliana and she was too old to be lugged around easily like a newborn who just hangs out in their seat all day), but this year Mike did not hesitate to say,"You should definitely go!" I wasn't sure that I should, because he was going to have to stay at home with the girls each school day and try to work from home as best he could, as well as take them to the Thursday class they go to, which would mean missing all that time from work. He looked me in the eyes and said,"You should go!"
So, I took his word for it.
But it was only possible for me to go because he was able, willing, and very happy to stay home with the kids. This is true of each of the four of us who went; all of us have husbands who gave up a good chunk of their time in order for us moms to spend some time together, just the girls. For that, I am very grateful.
None of the other four Walkers batted an eye that I was not around for four days. Eliana had no problem snuggling with Daddy at night (and Daddy is a snuggler, so he didn't have a problem with that either!). They were well-fed (at least, they didn't go hungry; apparently there were many doughnuts...many, many doughnuts). They were shuttled to school, class, Bible study, and back home again. And they were just as happy to be spending time with him as he was to be with them. For that, I am very grateful.
What none of us expected is that when I returned home I would get sick. The first full day back I was fine. I tried to tackle a little laundry, but we all kind of took it easy on Sunday. There was the time change, and Spring Break was coming up. I figured I had all week to get things back in order (mainly the laundry [always the laundry!]), unpack, hand out presents, go to the store. But I woke up Monday and didn't feel that great. I got out of bed and felt shaky; I was dizzy; I was so tired! Mike went on to work, since it was a normal Monday for him, and I had great intentions of taking the kids to a park, since the weather was beautiful. Mid-morning I felt I had to lie down. I was so weak, and my tummy was upset. Or queasy. Or something that I couldn't quite describe or figure out. I got in bed thinking I would just rest a bit and then take the kids to a park.
The next thing I knew it was Thursday.
On those in-between days, I just felt so weird. I would feel like I had to throw up, run to the bathroom, and nothing would happen. I would lie down again only to feel the same way, run to the bathroom...and nothing would happen. This alone made me feel exhausted. I called Mike sometime Monday morning just to tell him I wasn't well, I couldn't take the kids out, but that they were fine and he didn't need to come rushing home. He came home in the afternoon, though, and took up where he left off, before I had returned home from my trip.
I felt so bad! I wanted very much to do all the things that I had planned on doing...but I was in the bed or in the bathroom. I didn't eat, didn't want to eat, didn't want to move. And he never complained, but he just let me rest (restlessly, darnit), and he took care of the kids. For that, I am very grateful.
I don't even know what all they did while I was so out of it. I want to say there were more doughnuts, but...I could have just been making stuff up at certain points. (One night I went to bed shortly after taking some medicine [and eating Ramen noodles] and for quite a while I felt like things were crawling all over me, I was dizzy when I got up to go to the bathroom, and I was very twitchy [medicine or Ramen? Your guess is as good as mine].) It was a strange sickness, for sure. And I was so relieved to wake up Thursday and feel so much less...icky.
Things are getting back to normal. Christian started school back up. I've been trying to catch up the laundry. There has been such a difference in my energy level and my sense of motivation! It's amazing how zapped I felt, and once that drained feeling was gone, it's amazing how aware I have been that what I once thought was tired is actually FULL OF ENERGY! Since I am a blog-hog, this post morphed from what I intended to write about into something about myself. What I earnestly wanted to say is that I couldn't have gone on my trip and had so much fun and been so carefree, without Mike. And I couldn't have taken care to rest and get better, without Mike. He was more than willing to stay with the kids and make sure everything was fine at home.
And for that, I am very grateful.
Reader Comments (5)
Yea for sweet hubbys who spoil their wives! Sounds like we both got one ;)
What a great husband! It's nice to take the time to thank them for their help. I'm sure he is grateful for all you do on a daily basis. It's comforting to know we don't have to live this life alone. God gave us partners to live this life with and who are willing to step in when we need it and who we help out when they need it.
Awwww . . .Gotta love a good man. They DO exist. :)
Ugh. That illness sounds awful! So glad you are better. And how wonderful that your husband is there to take up the slack! He sounds like a pretty great guy.
I love Mike!