Thou Shall Always Be Good "Mommy Medicine"

"A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world.   It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path."
~~Agatha Christie

There is almost nothing worse than staying up all night with your child who is sick, sick, sick.  They are miserable....you are miserable....and both of you are tired, tired, tired.

For me, I don't know what is worse....wiping my baby's brow while they vomit their guts up....or peeking into the bedroom where my ...ahem....beloved is snoring, with not a care in the world.  Hmmm....Now, THAT is a toss-up. Ha!

You see, when my husband, Kevin, and I had our first baby boy, we made a "deal".  It was my grand idea that on those nights that he didn't have to get up and go to work the next morning, he should also be required to get up and "bond" with our baby boy too!  I would feed the baby, then, naturally, he would burp him. 

Sounds like a fair deal, right?!

Yeh, well, that lasted all of about two weeks! 

After those initial two sleepless weeks, I decided to just let my husband pretend to "sleep" through all the hollering and crying that would go on at all hours of the night....not to mention the whimpers from our baby boy who would wake up too. Hee!

Now that we have three children (ages 13, 11 and 9), it has been clearly established that my children want ME right there beside them when they are sick. I am the companion they most want to travel alongside them on this "sick train" journey.....giving all of the proper, "Oh sweetheart, I know it. :(  ....This is no fun....You are such a trooper," remarks. 

These are the mommy soothing comments that seem to work almost as well as the medicine, itself. ;-)

I'll never forget one night after my little "Gator" (9) spent hours in our master bathroom with a mean ole tummy bug, I was FINALLY able to get him resting peacefully with his head in my lap.

I continued to sit in my usual "mommy spot." (on the bathroom floor with my back leaning against the tub.)  I didn't want to move because for the first time that night, Slade had finally fallen asleep....and he seemed to be somewhat comfortable.

Oh, and Kevin?  Oh no worries, y'all!  Nu-uh!  He was totally fine! He missed the whole thing .....as usual.

...and I wasn't bitter about it at all!  No, really....it was totally fine.  (Smiling through clinched teeth) ha!  Yep!  He was sleeping like a baby....that precious darling.  (Still smiling)...His peaceful, unaffected slumber meant nothing to me. (Okay not smiling anymore). Ha!!

I was amazed....okay, okay..... more like angry, really....but y'all!..

Here's the deal:

This man can hear a deer's hoof a mile away... He can hear me when I whisper on the phone in "code" to my sisters and know exactly what I said.... He can hear a truck drive up in our driveway and know the make and model.... He can even hear the sound money makes when it is leaving my dang wallet....and he doesn't even have to be with me!

.....But babies crying in the middle of the night?  Needing to be fed, burped, rocked or comforted while sick??

...The man is completely deaf to the world!

Me? Bitter? Nah!..Upset?..What?.. Jealous? ...Come on now! ...Envious of his sleep?....Now, whatever gave you that idea?!  I told y'all I was totally fine, didn't I? (Lol)

I'm only kidding...just pokin' fun at the ole...ahem...I mean....at my sweet, precious, darling husband. ;-)

But here's what happened once the morning light shone through the bathroom windows... The morning light brought in a new day...and with it, a new perspective.

My sick little munchkin woke up and was tired but feeling so much better! 

He looked up at me, smiled and said, "That was a rough night, wasn't it, Mama? I'm so glad you're my mom.  Thank you for helping me get better.  You always know just what to do to make me all better."

Oh gosh, Lord!  Thank you for that!  All I could do was smile as a lump formed in my throat.  I hugged my sweet boy and answered, "Gator, I didn't want to be anywhere else in the world but in here with you to make sure you got all better."

It was in that instant that I realized the blessing was mine all along.... I just didn't have the proper perspective when I was so very tired the night before.

You see, when our babies are grown and gone, I can only imagine the honor and gratitude we will feel whenever any of them call us for comfort....encouragement.....soothing words and loving advice when they need "mommy medicine" the very most. ;-)

I guess it all starts in the middle of that bathroom floor, leaning up against that tub with their little heads in our laps. It is in those tired, sleepless hours that we forge that bond that allows our children to know and feel that we are there for them...always....to soothe and comfort them back to happiness and health whenever they need us the very most.

It's all in our perspective, isn't it? 

We hear this time and time again.  And after only four decades, I'm starting to catch on a little bit. ha! ;-)

Anytime God allows us to help heal a wounded soul, whether it be our own, or another.  He is giving us the opportunity to grow and strengthen in our walk with Him.

Life is magnificent...especially when you have the right perspective. ;-)

Enjoy each day with your children!

Teri