That's just life...

Our kids were sick 3 times in 6 weeks.  And not just a little runny nose.  The first was a fever in Eliza and then a rash...no biggie really.  A week or two later both kids started a low fever and were very cranky and then developed sores in their mouths (hand, foot and mouth).  They were pretty miserable for 3 days but I kept them on a steady regimen of ibuprofen and acetaminophen so it wasn't too bad.  Then about 2 weeks later we were planning to go to San Juan Capistrano for free museum day but Eliza started a high fever 102-103 under her arm and a nasty sore throat.  She was miserable for about 4 days...fever, no appetite, sleeping on the couch at random points throughout the day, waking up at night burning up and crying.  Ibuprofen would bring the fever down but it would spike as it wore off.  It was awful.  I looked in her mouth and saw white bumps so I took her to the doc...not strep just a virus...rats.  I hate viruses.  Slowly but surely she improved and was bouncing off the walls going stir crazy just as Coulson came down with a fever...ick. 

We were earnestly praying that Coulson would be protected from this virus but he wasn't...this tried my faith and I found myself wondering why I even bothered to pray.  It had been a long month and I was tired and now Coulson had croup.  I took him to the doc after a couple of days and she gave him steroids to open his airways but he was absolutely miserable.  I held him for several hours Friday afternoon so he would sleep, he just kept coughing and coughing.  It was so sad.  At night he would cough so much he couldn't sleep and nothing would comfort him, he would just scream and cough and scream some more.  He received a blessing and I kept praying that God would heal my poor baby but he just seemed to get worse, and my faith was waning.  Saturday night while he coughed and screamed and I prayed, I remembered the story of the Mulekites in the Book of Mormon and how they prayed earnestly for the Lord to deliver them out of bondage but instead of removing their burdens "the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease."  (Mosiah 24:15)  So I started to pray for the Lord to help me care for my baby and to know what to do for him.  Minutes after these thoughts entered my mind I called the after-hours nurse and she said to take him into the bathroom and turn on the shower to hot.  I knew you were supposed to do this for croup but he wasn't struggling for breath, he was just coughing and it wasn't a barky cough so I didn't even think to do it.  Cody took him right in and the warm steam soothed him to sleep after about 10 minutes.  I was so thankful.  He woke up again about 4 hours later but I just gave him ibuprofen and then took him into the shower again.  We did that several times over the next day and a half (conference weekend).  Gradually he improved and was back to his happy self by Tuesday.  I was thankful for all the wonderful conference talks I was able to watch, they definitely bolstered my spirits and spoke peace to my heart. I learned that faith is not hoping to get what you want, faith is trusting God.  Like Moroni says in Ether 12:6 "dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith."  Parenthood is a lesson in Godhood. 

Oh and Cody's sister Marti and her friend Melanie were here visiting and I am afraid we were not very good hosts under the circumstances.  We loved having them here and hope they will come again.  Tuesday morning as they were getting ready to leave Coulson was more of his normal happy, giggly self so at least they got to hold him and play with him for a bit when he was in a good mood. 


This past weekend we finally ventured out to the Safari Park (aka Wild Animal Park).  Here is Eliza looking at the lions:

 And the ducks...She was captivated by the ducks!  She would have stayed there all day, if we would've let her.

 Check out her sweet new boots:

I keep telling her she is a cowgirl.

Coulson likes to hang out in the stroller in the shade...

Grateful for healthy kids!