Mommy Exhausted

This week has proven to be a very exhausting week for this mommy. I know I am not the only one (CAN I GET AN AMEN?)... AND it is only Wednesday.

The girls (all three of them) have had the flu this week. First Serina, my sweet, amazing 17 year old step daughter gets sick in school (bleck) on Monday.  I pick her up, and bring her home. I thought she was just low on protein (because she was light headed and shaky), I fed her egg salad, a cheese stick, and a Greek yogurt.  The poor girl didn't see me coming with the protein, but based on the fact that the other girls got sick, I wonder if she had the flu too. But, she was shaky, and light headed--- I thought it was protein, not flu. OYE!  AND then Alex, my 14 (almost 15) funny step daughter had testing done at the hospital on Monday... THEN Monday night (after a couple of hours of searching for the ultimate hoodie for her-- to cover up the Holter heart monitor she has to wear to school the next day) Alex gets sick after dinner--- the flu…She was sick all night and into Tuesday. 

I love working from home, because even though my job is busy and demanding--- I work from home (hello, duh moment). I can check on my kiddos when they aren't feeling well. BLESSING! (Can I get an AMEN and a HOLLAH?--- I don't know what it is with me and the AMENs today, please just bare with me... ha)  Thinking that the flu has passed, based on older girls feeling better and the almost empty can of Lysol I have in my hand--- I get excited. Phillip, Kennith, Madelynn and I are all flu-free. Here is one bug that didn't take down the whole Wenndt clan...

I was so mistaken. At 4 am this morning, our precious Madelynn woke up and was hot. She had a fever and then by 6 am the flu was full throttle. My poor littlest munchkin-ette is sick. Flu for the first time, not a milestone I want to tweet or scrapbook about but we made it through the storm, and she was so adorable about it. So cuddly and she just wanted to watch movies.

I do not like to see my kids sick. I know we, as moms, don't like it when anyone is sick. I would trade my kids’ sickness any day and carry their sickness if I could. They are my world. I don't like to see them hurting or sick.

As I write this, I remember the other day when I was in the store and a child told his mom he was sick.  She disregarded him, and then yelled at him for not hurrying along. He said he was sick, really sick. She then replied, "We are in a hurry, am I SUPPOSED to care?" My answer is YES. I mean, I didn't say anything while at the store, but as parents our answer is YES. YOU are supposed to care, unconditionally, and always. This shouldn't be something that you HAVE TO do; it should be something that you WANT to do. Being a parent (whether you are a child's biological or step parent) is an honor. It is a privilege. Wear it like a badge of honor for the world to see.  "HI, I AM MELISSA. I HAVE THE HONOR OF BEING A MOM TO SERINA, ALEX, KENNITH, AND MADELYNN!" I love that badge. It is one of courage, humility, and overabundant love.

It is not easy being a parent. We are not our kids' best friends, we are responsible for raising good human beings with big hearts, a hunger to strive for better, a drive to be the best they can... compassion for the people around them... we are responsible for teaching them the difference between right and wrong, so someday they can make their own decisions thoughtfully. We need to show them this by being the example.

When my babies get sick, I worry about them, and then I think of how much each of them have grown in a year. How they are growing into their own. My heart melts, and I forget how exhausted I am between work, sick kids, dinner, Taekwondo, work, more work (my work has been busy--lol).

As a mom, I take my role very seriously. I know Phillip and I make decisions regarding their wellbeing that they don't like or they don't agree with. But that is our job and it is the most important job we have in our lives. One decision can be life altering when it comes to our kids. I want to be thoughtful about it. Now, do my kids know how to work me? Sure they do. But, I know when to say no, when to say yes... and when to say, "GO ASK YOUR FATHER."