When a FB status simply won’t do

There are times status updates are enough, and then there are moments they aren’t. This is one of those times.

Since the beginning of December we have managed stomach flu X3, pink eye X2, 2 viral upper respiratory infections, pneumonia, and a sinus infection. We’ve been to various urgent cares and doctors offices a total of six times through mounds of snow in the freezing cold. We’ve cancelled and rescheduled and canceled again so many playdates I’ve lost count. Miraculously I have emerged from this melting pot of sickness unscathed. Until this week. Now I feel very much like I’ve been run over by a truck.

I’m not going to lie. It’s been tremendously discouraging. Just when we thought we were done, some new round of something would rear it’s ugly head and lay us low again, and I’m hard pressed to believe it’s over. But in my moments of longing to step outdoors and run away to Starbucks, I’ve had to remind myself that all the crazy recurrent sickness is only one side of our story.

Since the beginning of December I’ve been coding this new site. The boys were able to spend the night at Grandma and Papa’s while Mike and I had our annual Christmas date at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and then enjoyed an evening with the television really loud late into the night. We were able to see the extended side of the Drachenberg family, enjoy Christmas (which we totally missed last year), and celebrate two birthdays. I got a phone call for a freelance writing project that literally made me scream out loud when I hung up the phone and I launched this new space to site-crashing stats. So many incredibly bright spots shining through the clouds of the last several weeks.

We may not have sent out our Christmas cards yet, and I still have no idea how long it will take to get back on our feet and back to normal. What I do know is that this is life – the highs and lows so closely intertwined that it’s hard to tell them apart sometimes – and I do know that I can choose what I’ll focus my thoughts on.

Today I’ve set aside my expectations and I’m going to enjoy snuggles and cuddles and Veggie Tales marathons. I will remind myself that it has been a good year so far. That the snow will melt and the temperature will rise and someday these weeks of illness will be just a distant memory. I will remind myself as many times as I need that even in the middle of hacking coughs and sore throats, God is still in control and He is still. so. good.