With Thankful Thursday just around the corner, I thought I needed to come clean with you about my attitude this week. It started with a few sleepless nights and wondering what was going on. 
After finishing round one of antibiotics for an ear infection Saturday, he was feverish when we picked him up from the nursery on Sunday. Sunday night = no sleep. Monday morning = Dr.'s appointment and he still has that dang ear infection. 
So we're on stronger antibiotics, motrin every six hours, and trying out Claritin just to see if all this congestion is from allergies. Its been night after night of sleepless night- trying to swaddle, trying to rock, giving a bottle, bringing him to our bed, sleeping in the carseat, me sleeping on the couch, elevating the crib mattress. So far its been a combination of our endless rocking/cuddling/patting plus a few dreaded saline drops and motrin for maybe two hours of sleep at a time. 
After finishing round one of antibiotics for an ear infection Saturday, he was feverish when we picked him up from the nursery on Sunday. Sunday night = no sleep. Monday morning = Dr.'s appointment and he still has that dang ear infection. So we're on stronger antibiotics, motrin every six hours, and trying out Claritin just to see if all this congestion is from allergies. Its been night after night of sleepless night- trying to swaddle, trying to rock, giving a bottle, bringing him to our bed, sleeping in the carseat, me sleeping on the couch, elevating the crib mattress. So far its been a combination of our endless rocking/cuddling/patting plus a few dreaded saline drops and motrin for maybe two hours of sleep at a time. And I am tired. In the middle of the night, I feel so discouraged and defeated. Charlie didn't even start sleeping through the night until about six months... then shortly after (I mean days after) came teething, and now two ear infections in a row. So I am very tired. And, yesterday, I broke my toe, stubbing it on a chair that has been there for months. My contacts are all old and I forgot to call in for more until it was too late... so my eyes are twitching and red from wearing old ones so long and now I'm wearing my glasses until the new ones come in. I shrunk a new shirt I bought this weekend in the dryer. The dishes are stacking up, the Kleenex attack is back, and it feels like we will never get this deck finished.
And while talking with an old friend yesterday, I found out her dad has liver cancer.
So I woke up this morning and got on my knees before God. And when I got up and looked at my precious boy with snot running down his face, I realized how small my issues are. So today I'm praying for and focusing on someone other than myself. And I'm hoping I will someday learn to count my blessings and truly be thankful... in every circumstance.
11 comments:
What a crummy week! I hate days like that. Hope things get better soon.
Praying for you and sweet Charlie. We lived with ear infections with Maggie until she was 9 months old, and finally got tubes. It changed her life and OURS!!! :) Also, all I can say for sleepless nights is BENADRYL!!!! Seriously!!!!
oh, i'm sorry that poor little charlie is feeling bad and you're having such a stinky week.
i do hope it gets better and i admire your positive attitude in the midst of it.
Sometimes we need those reminders in life. I hope your little man is doing better :( Poor guy! Also hope your week starts looking brighter!
How can such a sick little boy look so absolutely adorable! I'm sorry about your toe, Bethany, and I wish I could be there to help with the other household things. Maybe next year :) We love you guys so much!
He's even cute when he doesn't feel well!!!
(I couldn't link to "this"... the adoption blog from your blog....?)
Thanks for letting me know- I fixed the link. And thanks for your comments everyone! After a longer nap this afternoon he seemed to be feeling a little better and right now he is asleep... so we will see how this night goes!
Sorry about poor lil' charlie's ears. I was up all night with Gavin last night with one and Hadley had one last week. Oh...and hadley has probably slept through the night five times total. I am envious of Charlie being a good boy and sleeping at 6 months. Lack of sleep is hard...but I am right there with you wanting to focus on being thankful even in times I think are hard. I spent the last thirty minutes reading that blog and her friend Joy's blog. The heartache they must feel. And also sorry for your friends grandpa. Hope you guys get to feeling better soon.
Blogs are funny in that we often only reveal the sides of ourselves we want other people to see, and not the true frustrations and struggles (even the mundane ones) we ALL go through. Thank you for your openness and honesty. I love your attitude and your nurturing heart. Charlie is such a blessed little man (in spite of the ear infections) to have you praying over him and loving on him.
Ugg. I hear you, Bethany! Even those small things can be hard to bear! But it does help so much to put things in perspective. The idea that helps me best when mommy-life isn't going my way is remembering that with children, everything changes regularly. I've experienced enough phases now so that when my kids are in a phase that's difficult for me, I can nourish the hope that it won't last forever!
Bethany, I can remember going thru all of this when our now grown "children" were babies, and at the time, I just longed for a full nights sleep...but just remember "This Too Shall Pass"...but do you know, I would love to be able to just go back in time, and relive a few of those days and nights when they were small children,..cherish every moment you have with your child as they grow up so quickly...
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