Lesson Five: Take Quality Time Where You Can Get It

Of course the holidays are coming and everyone is busy, busy, busy.  We are no exception.  We have parties, and programs and get-togethers, wrapping and decorating and shopping to do.  So of course the worst possible thing that could happen is that we get sick.  Both my youngest daughter and I fell like a couple of logs when the flu came skulking around this week. 

She went down first on Monday night and I followed, falling hard on Tuesday.  We have spent the last 3 days alternatively hanging over a toilet, or laying immobile in bed.  This left my wonderful husband and my oldest daughter to not only take care of themselves, but take care of us and every other holiday emergency that couldn't wait.

My oldest daughter is abnormally afraid of throwing up.  I don't know why, but she cannot stand being near it and is deathly afraid of doing it herself.  This meant that she has stayed well away from her sister and I for the better part of 3 days, only coming in to see one of us if she first took a big breath and then held her breath the entire time.

The only good thing that came from this is that my oldest daughter got to spend 3 days with her dad.  They got to eat every meal together, watch TV, work on homework and projects and take care of their family.  Though my husband is very involved with the kids, it is rare that he gets this kind of opportunity to spend uninterupted time with the girls.  I think my daughter was secretly happy to have her dad all to herself for just a couple of days.

Me, on the other hand....I cannot say I enjoyed my time hanging over the toilet and there is no way that I would wish it on either one of my daughters.  However, when my husband had to go back to work yesterday and my oldest daughter went to school, it was just me and my little girl all alone.  We picked out the entire Harry Potter series of movies, lots of pillows and crackers and settled in.  We got to spend the entire day watching movies and comiserating about being sick.  We got through 5 movies and made the best of our day alone together. 

I realize that in a few years, our children aren't going to be nearly as enamored about spending time with their parents, so for now, I'll take it where I can get it.

Lesson Five:  Take quality time where you can get it.