January Life Lessons

Lately I have been getting spring fever with all the sunshine we have been having. I love this atypical January accept for the fact with the bad air and sick kids I haven't really been able to get out like I have wanted. Even with how much I love the sunshine seeing all the haze makes me wish it would snow again. I did get my Christmas wishes and we had nice snow for Christmas and my kids waited until now to get sick. They both got a terrible cold, but Kate faired much better. Beck had quite the croupie cough and I was worried we were going to have to take him in for breathing treatments.
Sunday Beck had some drainage coming out his ear. Great! He had a burst ear drum last year, so I was pretty confident that was the source. He has been complaining about his head hurting and his throat hurting, but not his ears. Now that I think about it, the headache was probably really an ear ache. Even though Beck is pretty articulate for his age, it is still difficult to figure out what he wants. Here is exhibit A: Previously he had been crying to go inside, but when I tried to take him inside he cried to play in the snow. Eventually he decides he wants a snack.

I took him to the Dr. today and he couldn't even see past all the gunk to know the condition of the ear drum and the other ear drum is infected as well. The kid has snot not just the usual brownish liquid coming out his ears. Why can't he just have the usual runny nose like the normal kids? He is related to me that is why. I think Beck's pediatrician thinks I am an idiot or a neglectful parent, but he just doesn't know my history (tubes, tubes again, tubes again, surgeery to remove scar tissue and rebuild my ear drum etc.) Hopefully we can get back to sleeping again now that he is on antibiotics. I am so grateful for antibiotics! I should also add to the list humidifiers, decongestants, pain relieving and fever reducing medications, good pediatricians and several close pharmacies, as well as knowing if I absolutely had to I could take him to the ER and they could help him breath if he couldn't on his own.
We did find out on the 8th that all his food allergies are still going strong and we even ended up getting an epi-pen for the nut allergies (there is yet another blessing for which to be thankful). I really hate feeling so helpless as a parent to see him be so miserable with being sick and also not being able to enjoy all the foods everyone else enjoys. I feel so bad when he says "I want that" and I have to tell him "No you are allergic and it will make you sick" and then he cries and says again "I want that". I wish so much I could instantly take away all his allergies and instantly cure his ear infections and instantly ease his breathing. I am sure that is how Heavenly Father feels when he sees his children suffering and especially when Christ went through the atonement only intensified so greatly that I truly can't even comprehend it.
I feel like my last couple of blogs have been kind of downers or a bit negative, but that isn't really how I feel. It seems like when things are difficult I see all that I have to be grateful for and how blessed I really am. Yes, I am tired and I am getting a little burnt out and stir crazy with sick kids, but that is not really that big a deal compared to what I have learned or more accurately put what I have been reminded of as a result of these experiences. It is definitely through adversity and opposition that I learn how good life really is and more about the love of our Heavenly Father and Jesus christ. I don't think I would understand that as much as I do without being a parent. Wow! I am sure I have so much more to learn since I am still so new to parenting.