why i appreciate vomit

As I was laughing and sharing stories with two close girlfriends last night, I heard a text message ring inside my purse. My 1st instinct was to ignore it, but then the mommy guilt set in. What if one of the boys was in the ER? What if the house burned down?

Why do I always go to worst case scenario?

I reached down and hesitantly grabbed it out my purse, secretly hoping that it was a sweet message from my husband along the lines of, "hey babe, have fun tonight. You deserve it."

However, my mommy instincts knew better. It was about our 3 year old Jack. He was stricken with the stomach flu. Although part of me wanted to pretend that I didn't see the message and draw out our girl time as long as possible, the mama bear in me knew I needed to get home to my sick babe.

And as I walked upstairs to check on him, he and Kevin were defeatedly walking out of the bathroom, puke bucket in hand. I'm not sure who looked worse, Jack or Kevin. Cleaning up vomit is never easy. I felt sorry for both of them.

Kevin gladly passed the puke duty batton on to me and headed to bed. I grabbed a magazine, some pillows, and my laptop. Like any parent of a kid too young to know how to use the bucket or get to the bathroom on time, I vigetlanty waited for the next episode until my eyelids grew too heavy to read any longer.

Even though I have not slept on the floor since an elementary school slumber party and woke up cold more than once, I didn't leave his side. One, I didn't want to risk him throwing up without someone to help him. Two, for my own peace of mind. I couldn't sleep away from my sick cub. It was definelty a trade of physical comfort for emotional comfort. Emotional comfort triumphed.



When the sunlight crept through the wood blinds, a well Jack woke up and was ready for a new day to begin. The girl who is usually addicted to the clock and event planning on weekends, warmly welcomed a slow Ugg wearing, magazine reading, and kids making paper airplanes morning.





Little did I know that the paper airplanes would start in the family room...





to upstairs...



to outside...







Luke created a game for us using the planes...



You have to super duper love a guy that makes a "girl" plane for his mom. Everyone else got Angry Birds planes. Am I the only one on this planet who doesn't get what the heck that game is?



Just as they were burning out on paper planes a couple of hours later, our neighbors stopped by with a handful of water balloons.





As I listened to squeals of delight and watched little rain boot wearing feet jump with joy, I thought, this is what spring is all about.

It is finally here. Can you feel it?

I caught glimpses of it all around us this morning...










And the blissfulness of it made me immensely appreciative: the beauty, the games, the giggles, the togetherness, and the slow down of time.

Although I have very little appreciation for vomit, I am appreciative of the reminder to take it slow and soak in the glory of the mundane.



It is days like today that I want to remember when my boys are no longer my littles. For I know the day will come, despite my will against it. I want to look back and vividly remember the days when they fit in mini chairs and wore rubber rain boots while enjoying a perfect spring day just like today.