One day when my children are teenagers, I'll be in the fellowship and hear about a mom who is at home nursing her many sick little ones, and my heart will sympathize for her and I'll want to rush over to her house and relieve her; I'll want to let her sleep or bring her a meal, or do her laundry, because I'll remember all the many many days I've needed to stay home and nurse the children and I'll miss those days. I'm so grateful to my mom and all the Saints that glory in helping take care of all of our needs. There is no end to my gratitude. I want to remember these sick days fondly. Yes my house is messy, and the laundry pile is higher than usual; but my husbands needs are taken care of and the children's needs are taken care of. Everyone is happy and relatively healthy. One day when my children are all older I'll miss the warmth,cuddlinessness and unpredictability of sick days. I'll miss the late night feedings and cool rags. I'm sure to miss the Motrin, nebulizer treatments, and endless doctor appointments. I'll miss everyone piled up in bed with me reading books and listening to music. One day down the road, when that mom is missing from the fellowship because she is caring for her family, I'll say a prayer for her that she rejoices in ministering to her family in that way. I am tired and weary, but I am grateful to be home, taking care of my family. I am thankful beyond words that I get to care for their needs and not someone else. I remember when I worked outside of the home when my oldest was two. Working moms can't afford for their kids to be sick, literally. The boss has an attitude because you miss work, you have an attitude because you miss work. Most of the time the child can never completely heal before they have to go back to daycare because mom can't take off that long. I'm thankful that when I stay up all night, I don't have to be dressed and out of the house by 6am. I'm thankful that I don't have to rush their recovery and send them out of the house before they're ready. A company in my city actually pays a nurse to come to your home to care for your sick child so that you don't miss work. A day care across the street from the one I worked at, was a sick care center. Sick kids went there so that their parents didn't have to take off, and they stayed there until they were well enough for regular day care. I know these programs are lifesavers to the single mom who has no option, and I sympathize for them. All of these reminders fill my heart with gratefulness as I take care of Kason who has pneumonia and has I prepare to care of Kyle who will have a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy next month, and as I care for my husband who's come down with the flu.

I'm thankful for Praise Her in the Gates: The Calling of Christian Motherhood by Nancy Wilson. The fourth chapter is titled-When the Kids are Sick.

"When children are ill, it is a wonderful opportunity for teaching. You can model patience and cheerfulness to them when you get upin the night to comfort and minister to them."

"Mothers do have the capacity to make illness a happy memory."

"Sickness is a good time to teach them about compassion and mercy, as well as about he frailty of life. Use all these times for spiritual profit."

"When you feel crumy, you ought to be home. This is simply the golden rule when you apply it to your child. Sick children do interrupt our plans; that is what they are supposed to do. And we are to be interrupted cheerfully, even if it means missing church."