Being grateful even in times of vomit

Since Monday, the Schumacher household has been in Def Con III -- all four of us have had an awful stomach flu.

Ella got it first. Woke up vomiting Monday morning. Then me, Tuesday evening. Then Kate, in the middle of Tuesday night. Then Chris on Wednesday morning. The entire experience can mostly be summed up in one word: Gross.

Vomit in hair. On bedspreads. On pillowcases. Sheets. Countless towels. The bathroom floor. The carpet.

I really don't mind caring for the girls when they're sick. But when the plague hit me; it made caring for them seem nearly impossible. I could barely stand up without throwing up myself.

It's mostly over now, only lasted a few days. I'm grateful it's gone.

But the three day vomit fest did bring up a whole new slew of things I should be grateful for, every day.

I'm grateful this gross illness was temporary; and only lasted a few days. I'm grateful that we at least had comfortable beds to sleep in; and lots of towels and blankets. And a washing machine to help clean up all the mess. I'm grateful for Sierra Mist to calm sick stomachs. I'm grateful for cable TV and DVDs -- to take my girls' focus away from their belly aches, at least for a little while.

I keep thinking about mom's and children in third world countries. Or homeless, right here in the United States. Imagine...your babies are sick and vomiting. And you're in Haiti, sleeping outside or under a tent. You're lucky if you have one blanket; and if it gets vomited on, there's no way to get it really clean again. Your kids are dehydrated...and they don't get the luxury (as my kids d0) to refuse to drink water. They don't have Sierra Mist and probably don't even have clean drinking water to start with. You have no TV. No DVDs. Absolutely nothing to take your babies' minds off their aching bellies. And if you're fortunate enough to have a sickness like this pass in just a few days, you also probably don't have access to a nice bathtub or shower -- where you can clean up and feel new again.

I don't know if I'll understand how there can be such disparity in the world. But I'm oddly grateful for three day vomit fests like these, because they give me another reason to reflect on just how fortunate and blessed my life really is.

And if you're reading this, chances are your life is equally blessed. So say a Hallelujah, next time Def Con III hits your household. Believe it or not, even in the midst of a vomit fest, we all have much for which to be grateful. :-)