Lately

The last few weeks have been difficult. I'm still working on getting fully back to normal after my surgery, and a couple of days after I had surgery Caleb and I both got a cold which I'm still dealing with now (just went to the doctor a couple of days ago!).

Levi now has Strep throat. Yesterday was pretty hard. He was miserable. The fever is gone, but he kept feeling like he had something stuck in his mouth and was trying to cough it out (probably the blisters on his throat). He also developed the strep-related rash and carried around a wooden spoon to scratch his back with, an idea he came up with all on his own, so I know he was miserable.

He is on an antibiotic that he must take twice a day with food. Yesterday morning after breakfast I went to give Levi his medicine, and he FREAKED out. He refused to take it. I actually had to hold him down and squirt it in his mouth. It was awful. It's not easy to hold down a 3-year-old to give him medicine. I told Justin what happened, so after dinner he said, "Are you ready?" I went in the kitchen to get the medicine and told Levi it was time to take his medicine. He said, "Is it orange? [yes] Ok." Then he proceeded to just drink it down. I could not believe it. Justin gave me a look and said something to the effect of, "I thought you said it was hard." I promptly told him to shut up. Why do the kids always make me look like an idiot?

This morning? SAME scenario as yesterday morning. Levi refused to take the medicine. (He finally did after much cajoling on my part and a threat to hold him down and squirt it down his throat.) I'm convinced Justin should work from home. I'm sure he'd get a lot done.

I still have a cough that's partly asthmatic and also some respiratory infection, and it has wiped me out. I have very little energy, and when I wake up in the morning I don't feel rested at all. It's not ideal for dealing with two active boys, one of which is sick.

Yesterday was not pretty. I was tired and frustrated and I yelled at the kids way too much. (I have a problem expecting them to act older than 5 and 3. I'm working on it.) At one point I apologized to Caleb for yelling and asked him to pray that Mommy would not get angry and yell, which he did (it was sweet). I don't want them to think my anger is ok; I want them to recognize that it's sinful and it's needs to be dealt with. I want them to know that Mommy struggles and desperately needs God's help and forgiveness and grace every.single.day.

I woke up this morning and read this post where Jenny talks about her anger problem. I'm definitely using these Scriptures to help me. Maybe you could use them, too? (Or maybe Jenny and I are the only ones who struggle with being patient with our kids?)

A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense. – Proverbs 19:11

It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel. - Proverbs 20:3

Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end. - Proverbs 29:11

In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. - Ephesians 4:26-27

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. – James 1:19-20

Here's to the grace of God and a better day.