Shout out to Single Parents

This weekend was rough--and not in the emotionally wrenching, "we were driving home from my brother's funeral last Easter" way I had expected.

It was physically and mentally exhausting.  It all started Saturday afternoon when "Nannie" threw up in the car on the way to Target (for last minute Easter goodie shopping).  Then again at home, and again before bed.  This was followed by "LiLi" throwing up shortly after falling asleep.

After this point I laid out a number of towels on the playroom floor (MUCH easier to clean than carpet) and began to just switch out towels after each episode of throwing up--which seemed to be happening every 10-15 minutes.  Then crying was heard from upstairs and "Addie" had also thrown up--she was brought downstairs and "Frozen" was played multiple times.  The girls would fall asleep, wake up feeling crappy, cry and whine, puke, get cleaned up, be given a new towel, have their heads rubbed and get some snuggling then fall asleep again...giving me time to climb back into the pull out sofa bed and fall asleep.  For about three minutes before going through the process with one of the other girls.

I may have been able to handle that.  Hell, I may have asked for a gold star or a cookie--you know, mom of the year and all that.  But, then I started puking.  Yep.  And those of you who know me know how that lays me out.  Done.  Game over.  Mommy is no longer in the building--at least not in any helpful manner.

In swoops reluctant husband and very helpful mother in law--on Easter.  Husband very lovingly offered water and ginger ale, kindly suggested I sit outside and get fresh air, and allowed for many, many welcome hours of time in bed WITHOUT children.  Mother-in-law took children off of husbands hands so he wouldn't lose it attempting to protect my fragile sanity at that point.

Then I began to feel less puke-y and more migraine headache bursting my head-y, just in time for "Sax" to begin screaming--like back to I'm a cranky old man newborn screaming.  And I walked for two hours with him--because rocking or sitting and bouncing would not calm him, nor would his swing or countless songs--just walking and slight bouncing.  This was not good enough to put him to sleep; just good enough to keep him relatively quiet.

As I was walking with him, well into an hour and a half at that point, and, yes, I'll admit it, I was crying a little bit.  At this point I was struck--profoundly struck--by my awe and undying respect of single parents.  I.  Don't.   Know.   How.   You.    Do.   It!   But, it is amazing.  I could barely keep it together and I had the help of my husband AND his mother.  I cannot--CANNOT--imagine going it alone over that 48 hour period of time.  God/Allah/Nature/All Individual's on this Planet BLESS you all!

The perseverance, spirit, and grit it must take are truly inspiring and at a level to which I doubt I will ever obtain.  Only in the face of true suffering can one grow to that extent.  Kudos to you--each of you.