When it rains it pours...

~Otherwise, entitled: the Laundry Pile Happenings~Saturday. We had a Women's Ministry event at our church...and heard a fantastic message (of which is blog worthy all in itself.) and I sang in the worship band. It was fun. God showed up in all His Glory.

Came home to find J-man with a fever and one heck of a cough. The fever alone keeps him out of the nursery at church. The Professor opts to stay home with J-man and Mini-E and the bigs and I head off to Sunday School.

We only stay for Sunday School as J-man wasn't feeling good and I've got some place to be right after church. We head home, thinking that The Professor might have time to take a nap. He doesn't. But he's made lunch.

I head off to band practice at another church - for which I have been asked to be their interim worship leader. (WAY out of my comfort zone...as I want God to pour all knowledge into my brain BEFORE -- and not make me learn as I go. Apparently, He's more into the learning as I go and character building thing...drats.)

I head home. G's birthday was Sunday. My parents and brother come and we have a high-old time. G has requested white cake with blue icing. The Professor is more than happy to provide the blue icing. (He loves a challenge.) G gets a new bike (NOT expensive), a new scooter and a Gameboy (to replace the one he lost). Each gift was from different people. Praise God for grandparents!!

Monday we go to our beloved pediatrician to discover that J-man has a virus. *Insert frustrated sigh here* The good news is - it was not bronchitis or pneumonia. The bad news - it's a virus. After much prayer, he's feeling better. Matter of fact, Monday night I was not sleeping because of his coughing and got up with the intent to give the boy Benadryl to help stop the snot. The Holy Spirit said "Let it run it's course."

I know I'm easily amused, but I really love the fact that He told me what to do.

Tuesday we started swim lessons. ONLY the big kids. They have an option to teach kids that are J-man's age, but it requires parent participation. NOT going to happen right now. J, E & I tried to walk to the slides, but Mini-E fell. It was the oddest thing to watch. She tripped and landed on her knees and then almost in slow motion, she landed on her hands and then her lips. I was watching and still not sure what happened. That ended our trip to the slides for that day. We sat in the van and ate pretzels.

Today was day #2 of swim lessons. They had a great time despite the fact that the weather was not as hot as yesterday and it was overcast and threatening rain. G got in the van telling me he was freezing! We head home by way of Starbucks. (I won't be doing that often, that's for sure). Got home and the kids got into their dry clothes. G kept complaining that he was freezing. And his throat was dry. So he got dressed and I loved on him and he shouldn't have been freezing as he was running a fever. He said his throat hurt when he yawned, when I looked in it to see if it was red, and when he swallowed.

I call the pediatrician's office. We have an appointment at 1:40.

We have lunch and drive off... We get there and G is laughing and telling me that his throat doesn't hurt any more. Nor was he registering a fever. I felt really silly for taking him to the doctor. They swab his throat as they do when strep is suspected. We wait for the doctor. He's funny, he asked G if he'd been kissing girls. To which G replied, "NOOOOooooo" in the kind of repulsed tone of voice only a newly 7-year old can accomplish. (at this point in the calendar year, I'm reminded just how close in age my first two are. Mini-Me is 8.5 & G is 7)

Doctor does his check. Ears - Clear. Throat - Red. Glands - swollen. He goes away to await the test results and comes back. Strep = Positive. Poor

At some point, I'm sure that I'll figure out what I need to do to get my house clean so that sickness can not attack our house.

Tonight, the Professor is working late and I think we'll have spaghetti for dinner. G is resting in my bed, with a fever by the way, but he wants to sleep. We have a prescription for chewable amoxicilin (did I spell that right?) and we're contagious for 24 hours. So no swim lessons for him tomorrow, but maybe on Friday.

Our pediatrician suggested we take his cards to swim lessons on Friday - just in case. Funny guy.

I'm amazed at the moment. It's quiet. Mini-E is asleep. G is resting. Mini-Me is watching "Arthur". J-man is playing "Minnesota Cuke" on the kids computer. And I have a new blog post written! It's nice when moments come along .... I can't help but wonder if it might be the calm in the midst of the hurricane, though. (Edited to add: It was. It was not a quiet night.)

Even through all this - I never *NEEDED* a diet coke. I got one because it sounded like the thing to do - but I didn't need one. That is pretty amazing.

I am not a Pollyanna. Sometimes,well, sometimes, When it rains it just pours. For me, I know that I need to look at something other than my circumstances or I'll quickly get bogged down in self-pity. I'll get wrapped up in the fact that I don't have help tonight, or that the kids are sick for the 3rd time in as many months. I have to think on whatever is good....

I have a pediatrician that got me in today.

I have insurance.

I have a house that kept the rain off of our heads today.

More importantly, I may not know why my kids have not manifested healing, but I know that My God still heals. That He's still on the Throne and that He loves me. That He gives me Hope.

I want Him to not just rain on me - but pour on me. Because sometimes when it rains, it pours.