Some rough days

We have had a sick baby in our house for a week now.

Unfortunately, Laura has about seven fever-blisters on her mouth, lips and tongue. She's ran a fever for five days straight and overall has felt pretty miserable. The good news is that we picked up some medicine, and I already notice an improvement in her swollen lips and gums.

So, now I get back to the title of this blog entry: "Some Rough Days."

We've been homebound for a week and have about three more days to go before we are in the clear. That's rough. Laura hasn't been eating or sleeping well. That's rough. Sickness only escalates her natural tendency to be a stinker. That's rough. There is more whining. That's rough. Lastly, forcing medicine down her is a physical challenge. That's rough.

Yet, as funny as it sounds, I am thankful for the last few days. Here are a few reasons why:

1. Laura is typically a healthy child; I appreciate the good health that God has given her.

2. She snuggles with me. In fact, last night I let her sleep in bed with me for a couple of hours. (This was mainly for my benefit; I was tired of getting up with her. But it is nice to cuddle.)

3. And best of all, a couple nights ago I went into her room and rocked her after she woke up crying. As I placed her back to bed, she said, "love you" in her sweet voice. This was the first time she has said it without our prompting. I melted.

Taking care of children and all their wants and needs is exhausting, especially when they are sick. Our hearts break for them. We want them to feel better. And they need us to care for them, to love them and to kiss away the hurts. It's all worth it.

I thank God for Laura. And may He bring good health back to her soon.

Note: This picture of Laura was taken this morning as I attempted to get her to eat something for breakfast - pudding. I think she ate some of it. What do you think?