Barefoot in Blue

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

Oh What to do...Part 2



Once again my oldest sister has come down to visit for the holidays, and again she has brought her wonderful children with her. Unfortunately this time around she and they were struck with a stomach virus. Actually, I believe virus is an understatement...it was reminiscent of the Exorcist...Anyway, to make matters worse we took an 11 hour road trip which in turn infected everyone else (by the grace of God, I was the only one not affected by it). The 11 hours it took there and the 11 hours it took coming home was (after my careful calculations) an eternity and a half. I was amazed at how well she took care of her leaking children while she herself felt ill. That old familiar feeling of second guessing my baby decision washed over me. When I am ill, I shut down. Like a dog about to give birth I go to a corner and bury myself unable to do anything efficiently. I watch my sister entertain, comfort, and feed her children as if she didn't feel like she had just contracted the Eboli virus. I was in awe. I asked her later how she was able to endure the lack of sleep and food and to be in constant movement chasing and caring for a two year and and a seven month old when she herself was ill. Her eyebrows grew together in confusion, "what are you talking about?"..."How are you still moving let alone taking wonderful care of the kids? How are you doing this?"..."You do what you gotta do..." That's it? I thought. That can't be it. Maybe there is a hidden battery pack or she's on a special mix of valium and coffee. I don't believe determination can beat physical (viral) meltdown, it's just not possible. I understand that mothers do this sort of thing everyday, all over the world, but it still amazes me! You know that children are born everyday but you are amazed to watch it when it happens. I can only hope I can have the nonchalant stamina that she has. How she kept from throwing herself or her children out of the window is beyond me...

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