Heaven Sent

Sara has been home from the hospital for 2 weeks now. RSV really kicked her booty and that one week hospital stay really rocked my world. Definitely threw me for a loop! Believe it or not it has taken me 2 weeks to get back into the swing of things and even then, only just. That first week home was a week from Heaven and H double hockey sticks. It was a week when I was doubting myself and wondering why I EVER thought I could handle 5 kids? I retracted my statements "What's one more? After 3 kids, one or two more really isn't that much different." Last week 5 kids was enough! 5 just about did me in!

It couldn't be that I was sleep deprived after sleeping in a hospital chair for a week, man was I pooped! Or that the day we got home from the hospital Beck got a fever followed by the squirts after being home for only 30 minutes. Or that Liam also got a fever the next day followed by the squirts. I forgot and missed Bunko, my saving grace and social outlet. Then Sara got a fever and rash which lasted for 3 days. I sent my kindergartner to school on Thursday only to get a phone call 20 minutes later to say, "Mrs. Lutkin, we have Beck here in our office, there was no school today for the morning kindergartners." I didn't have a working, portable oxygen tank to hook Sara up to to go get Beck and I still had sleeping kids. I didn't have my pre-schooler ready when her ride came on Friday because I didn't think she had school because my others didn't. I ran out of milk and had a hungry baby. My husband left for a business trip on Friday so I was husband less for 4 days. The regulator on Sara's now working portable tank busted off after the tank tipped over. Because of this I couldn't take her or my oldest to a swimming party that I had promised the kids we would go to. I lost my phone at the pool party. I got halfway home when I realized it was missing so I turned back only to find that the pool was closed. I walked into my room to find Liam pulling on the oxygen tubing which was wrapped around Sara's neck. The drama never ceased and these are a few things that made this week H double toothpicks!

Now let me tell you why it was heavenly too. Beck and Liam's fever and sickness only lasted 24 hours, thank goodness. Sara eventually started feeling better again. (We suspect it was another ear infection but we're giving antibiotics a rest.) I had 3 friends and neighbors who brought dinners over three different nights. I was very reluctant to accept the offers but it sure made the load a little, OK,  a lot lighter! I called a friend when I needed someone to pick up Beck and with no questions asked, she went to the school and grabbed him. Then gave me a shoulder to cry on when I was feeling like an awful mother. (You see this isn't the only time when I have forgotten about Beck. Twice on his early day I haven't been home when he has gotten off the bus.) My oldest was home from school so I was able to drive Kate to pre-school and the friend who usually drives is luckily very patient and understanding and was still willing to bring her home for me. Home health care was able to deliver a portable tank. Another friend of mine called the day we were out of milk to ask how we were doing and immediately ran over a gallon of milk. Even though I had no husband for 4 days, my oldest, Cole was home to help. Cole was also willing to stay home with Sara the night of the pool party so the other kids wouldn't miss out, he said he didn't want to swim anyway (which was just a cover up), my sweet boy was just taking one for the team. When I got back in the car after finding the doors were locked at the pool, and thinking my phone was long gone, Kate and Beck excitingly told me that they heard my phone. Lucky for me, it was right under my feet, blending into the black floor mat. Home health care was able to bring a new regulator. Sara was fine after I had unwrapped the tubing from around her neck and it was blessing that I walked in at the right time.

So you see although it was a hard week full of surprises and mishaps, it was a week where I was able to see the hand of the Lord. In the big scheme of things, all of these events were small and we're taught to never sweat the small stuff. But I say, it's OK to sweat the small stuff, because the small stuff adds up,  just make sure you wear deodorant. It was pretty evident that my Heavenly Father was and is aware of my needs. He placed wonderful friends, angels, a responsible son (my lifesaver), a supportive mom (my venting ear), a loving husband in my life. I was showered with blessings amidst the storm. Having 5 kids is a lot of work and some weeks are more stormy that others but after a storm there is usually a rainbow and I wouldn't want it any other way! In fact one of my favorite quotes comes from none other than Dolly Parton, she says, "The way I see it, if you want to see a rainbow you gotta put up with the rain."

And I say, "Rainbows are Heaven sent, so let em' shine!"

*Just a side note, since last Thursday Sara no longer needs oxygen. YAY! I was so happy to see the 50 foot tubing that was draped across the house, gone! Adios, ba bye, see ya, good riddance. Fingers crossed we stay healthy. Both Liam and Sara have upcoming surgeries and need to be healthy. We've already had to cancel the original scheduled time (January 25th) because of them both getting RSV. Which brings up another sore topic that happened this past week. They were both originally scheduled to have eye muscle surgery and ear tubes on the same day, a 2 for 1, but now they are unable to accommodate that so we will be up at Primary Children's two different days! Oh well! Let em' shine!