Another Story Where Vomit Makes An Appearance

I sat down several hours ago to write about how, although the last few days have been very trying, I am grateful for the little things that helped get me through them. For example, when I awoke yesterday morning as nauseous as could be and purging every hour or so, I thought at least this is happening today when Brad is home and not in the middle of the week. That's a pretty good spin on the positive, right? If I can find something to smile about while wiping the contents of my stomach off my shirt, I think I'm doing ok.

Even this morning, when Brad informed me that I would be van-less today because my battery was dead, I thought at least he works right across the street from Les Schwab so he can bring me a new battery this afternoon. AND, at least that battery is under warranty so it won't cost us a thing. Pretty good, right? I could rearrange carpools since today was my day to drive and I could find SOMETHING for us to eat since my fridge and pantry were completely bare. At least my attitude was good and that would see me through.

That lasted for approximately one hour.

By 9 o'clock, I had called on dear Tiffani to rescue me by driving me down to Brad's school to get his car. Besides the fact that we were in dire need of groceries, I just had this feeling that I needed to have a car this afternoon. I am grateful I followed that feeling.

After getting groceries, picking up the preschool crew, and returning home to make lunch and get settled for a nice relaxing afternoon, I sat down to write my post on perspective and gratitude. I was about a paragraph in when I heard a tremendous thud and a piercing scream coming from the sweet mouth of Sienna.

I ran to the kitchen where she had been quietly eating lunch only to find her sprawled under the kitchen table howling. You know how certain cries just let you KNOW, know that something is really wrong and your child is really hurt? That was the scream. I scooped her up and held her close as she trembled and yelled. I tried to get her to tell me where she hurt but she literally couldn't talk from all the crying so I pulled her back and then saw IT. The inch long, 1/2 inch wide and deep gash on her chin that was pouring blood. Gratitude gone.

Ok, no problem. Think fast. Hannah and Tye, get your shoes on. Sienna, hold on to this towel and try to stop the bleeding. Call Lindsay, please watch the girls, I'm off to the hospital. So much blood, so much blood, so much blood....

Here's where I found the positive again. The staff at the ER took me straight back, primarily because I was a very pregnant woman holding a very scared little girl and we were seen right away. Sienna calmed down and acted perfectly as her wound was washed and irrigated. She didn't make a noise as we slathered the cut in numbing cream and waited for it to take effect. Once everything was cleaned up and the bleeding had slowed, the doctor determined that gluing it together should work. I am grateful, I am grateful, I am grateful....

We were out of the hospital in an hour and I drove my grateful self to McDonald's to get Sienna some ice cream for being so brave. We were about half way home and Sienna was about 10 bites into her ice cream when THE LOOK crossed her face. She started purging with significant force all over herself and the back of Brad's car. Over and over again. I'm not grateful, I'm not grateful, I'm not grateful...

So now I am back home. The car has been cleaned up. Sienna has been bathed which was particularly tricky since I'm not supposed to get her face wet at all and she had vomit in her hair, but we managed. Hannah has cleaned her room. Spence and Michael are doing their homework. The amazing Kristen called and is bringing my family dinner. All I have left to do is go pick Brad up from school and take this gaggle of children to a baseball game in the freezing cold weather. But Sienna is ok, and so, I am grateful, I am grateful, I am grateful...

I wonder what the rest of the week will have in store for me.