It is the day after Christmas, and I am typing from my bed where I have currently been for the last two days. I can hear the kids playing, video games blaring, happy sounds from sisters... I'm sure who are doing things they shouldn't. But I haven't the strength to get out of bed right now and check. The last two days I've been sick, Mark's been sick and Bella's been sick. Stomach virus! Of course Bella is as good as new right now. Mark and I are another story. Nothing quite like both parents being out of commission. It's the worst of circumstances and has only happened one other time in our parenting history.
Yesterday was Christmas...yesterday was supposed to be wonderful, happy, full of family, good food and yummy sweets. Luke had even picked out a beautiful center piece for our Christmas table. Yesterday didn't go as planned. My big wonderful Christmas consisted of crackers, Gatorade and sleeping on the girls' floor next to my three year old with a yellow bowl beside her bed. No family came, no Christmas clothes worn (no one changed out of pj's all day), no big meal cooked. The one constant...there were presents, but not celebrated in the traditional way. I cried a lot yesterday...from the disappointment, from the sickness, from the let down. It was not the way I had envisioned Christmas.
I felt sad that our families, who were supposed to come over, were left without a Christmas meal or plans of being with family. The whole day just felt unreal. I have never have been sick on Christmas...EVER...until yesterday.
I am blessed that we celebrated with my Mom and Roger on Christmas Eve. I'm so glad we had a wonderful sick free time. This year has been extremely brutal for sickness in our home. It began the middle of August and has not let up. I have tried to figure out why all this sickness, why everyone has been so sick this year...more sick than any other year. We've had ear infections, croup (X 3 rounds), bronchitis, walking pneumonia, sinus infections, 2 trips to the ER, more ear infections, stomach flu (X 3 rounds), strep throat (2 of us), more sinus infections, trips to urgent care on Sat and Sun, and what we thought was a kidney stone (again) but feeling blessed it was just a pulled muscle and the CT showed all clear. I'm exhausted! We even had sickness on our vacation in Maui (a round of croup for Bella and a stomach bug for Grace). I keep holding onto faith that we are going to get better, but all we can manage is 1 week of sickness free before someone comes down with something again.
I've changed sheets, toothbrushes, used disposable cups, napkins, plates, silverware, washed, bleached etc. I'm so tired and worn down with all the worry/anxiety regarding all this sickness. This is not like our family.
I tried to make the best of yesterday...I really did try. The kids opened more presents, ate and watched movies. They seemed happy, but every once in awhile made a comment about where everyone was and when we were having Christmas dinner.
Life is complex. It doesn't always happen how you plan. It's difficult for me to believe that Christmas is now over and it didn't happen the way I planned. I have to accept the fact that this year, for whatever reasons, was meant to be this way.
Just praying Mark and I make a full recovery soon...or the kids will end up running the household.
Merry Christmas the Day After....
The Dahl Family
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