Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Hot and Cold, and and Eight-Year-Old Surprise

Hot and Cold are words that would describe me yesterday and this morning.  For the first time in over a year, I'm sick...stomach flu.  I spent a good chunk of yesterday in bed, feverish and then freezing cold.

It's hard being sick with kids, as every mom knows.  That being said, my eldest has been quite surprising.  When he found out I was sick yesterday, he immediately ran downstairs for a vomit bucket, and then a few minutes later appeared with my water bottle full of cold water.  He covered me with an extra blanket and asked if there was anything else he could do.  He spoke in low tones as if the sound of his voice might jar me, and he stroked my arm and told me that he loved me.  He eventually even got himself and his siblings a meal (cereal, some granola bars I'd made the day before, and grapes) and I could hear him later instructing Seth and Lizzie to clear their dishes off and wash their hands when they'd finished.  He orchestrated their watching a couple of movies (the younger kids aren't wild about tv but they do love movies - well, Seth does, and Lizzie will play while they're watching) and tried his hardest to be patient with them throughout the afternoon.

My eight-year-old has rather amazed me.  Who knew?!

5 comments:

  1. I hope that you are feeling better-it is so hard to have the flu with a house full of kids. How great to see that empathy in Matthew though. Hopefully this flu doesn't rip through your house like it did ours a few weeks again!

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  2. Wow - good work Matthew! and i completely sympathize as I've caught it as well and hope to have a low-key, restful day.

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  3. I love the low tones and instructions to clear the dishes. This is pretty amazing - and adorable.

    Hope you're feeling much better!

    Jill

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  4. cool that life happens in ways that challenge and privilege kids to rise to the occasion...and have a chance to knock our socks off on numerous levels! Hope that you're feeling beter soon.

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  5. Hope you are on the mend! Love Matthew's compassionate, caring heart. I thought it was also neat that Seth and Lizzie followed Matthew's lead.
    Allison

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