A Change of Plans

This is not how I thought I would be spending my week...

Michael and I have not had a getaway for a very long time. I don't even want to write how long it's been because it's pretty pathetic. I guess that's what 3 kids in 3 years will do to you. Anyway, Michael was headed to Dallas for work for a few days, and I decided to tag along. It was going to be a totally free trip and although Michael had meetings in the evenings, he would have some free time during the day for us to hang out, shop and see friends. We were excited to have some quiet meals and to get some rest.

Grandma came to the house Tuesday morning to keep the kids. We dropped off Levi at school and headed to the airport. We arrived in Dallas and immediately went to Uncle Julios...probably our favorite mexican resaurant ever. We then set out to explore the city. it wasn't long until we got a phone call from my mom that Levi was pretty sick. She picked him up from school and noticed he had a very stuffy nose and then coughed the entire way home. Several hours later he had a high fever. Great.

We checked in with my mom several more times and each time the news got worse. By late that night it sounded like I needed to head home. The poor guy was so sick, and I just didn't feel right about hanging out in Dallas while my mom cared for my sick 4-year old while also trying to take care of a 1 and 2 year old. When my mom called to report that he was now vomiting, I made it official. So the next morning Michael dropped me off at the airport, and I headed back to Kansas City, not even 24 hours after I arrived. Bummer!

The title of my blog, Choosing Laughter, was not really an option at the time. I was frustrated and had a little pity party for myself.

But when I got home and saw my sick boy, I realized I was exactly where I was supposed to be. Levi's throat hurt pretty badly so I immediately took him to the doctor, thinking he had strep. He didn't. He was also tested for influenza, which came back negative. I was relieved because I was starting to feel very guilty for not getting the flu shot for Levi and Ben this year. Apparently the doctor said she thought he had a virus that was really going around right now. It has all the symptoms of the flu but isn't the flu. She then added that it is often much worse than the flu, starting slowly and ending slowly. What an encouragement!

I got back from the doctor and found out that ben was also coming down with it. These 2 boys are so sick! They have had a fever for the past few days and have horrible congestion and the nastiest coughs I've ever heard. And now I have a feeling that Graham is getting it also. This week couldn't be any more different than I planned for it to be.

But now I am trying to choose laughter. My boys haven't felt much like laughing or even having fun, so laughter has been hard to come by.

But this afternoon I definitely found something to laugh about. I was cleaning up from lunch and getting Ben and Graham down for a nap when I realized that I hadn't seen Levi for a while. I looked all over...his room, my room, the play room, the basement. I was confused and started to panic a little bit. But then I saw this...
Do you see the blue blanket poking out from behind the chair?

I thought he was just hiding so I tiptoed over to the chair, planning to scare him. But then I heard heavy breathing and realized he was sound asleep. And it looks like he planned this nap because he had everything he needed...his blanket, froggy and of course, something we all need when we take a nap...a packet of skittles.
I will continue to look for laughter in the days ahead because I think we'll be held up inside for a while.