During the last two weeks, my love and respect for my little Samuel have been greatly enhanced. Directly following his six-month growth spurt and during the toughest time of teething, he somehow caught a nasty virus (likely brought to my home by a violin student). For three nights in a row, his temperature rose to 102, and though we were able to bring it down each time, it was scary! The post-fever aftermath of sniffing/coughing/sneezing/hurting was definitely no fun either. And we were making it worse by constantly sticking things in his ears/nose/mouth in hopes of relieving some of the anguish. It was very difficult for me to see him struggle against something I couldn't really help him overcome. We prayed for him and tried our best to nurse him back to health, and felt great gratitude every time he took a step towards health, to which he is finally nearly fully restored.
Taken after cooling the first high temperature. What a champ!
This is the first time I have experienced the worry of a parent for a child, and it brought to mind two things. One: the way Keenan must have felt (in part) watching me give birth to Samuel. Incapable of removing the pain of someone so beloved, he patiently endured it with me. And two: the way our Heavenly Father must feel (in part) watching us endure hard things. The difference between His experience and mine is that when Samuel was suffering, I was helpless. When we suffer, our Father in Heaven wisely withholds his help until the time is right. I don't think I would have been so wise, had I that same power.
What an incredible task parenting is!
8 comments:
I know exactly how you felt. Marli went through throwing up, high fever and other symptoms for a few days a while back. It's not fun and I broke down in tears a couple of times feeling so helpless. It really does give you insight into how our Heavenly Father feels watching us.
Hopefully Mr. Sam will back to full health in no time. Thank you for sharing that simple but important experience that reminds us how our Father in Heaven feels about us. I am so lucky to have good friends that are such great mothers! I love watching you all learn and grow and hopefully when that time comes it will make me a better mother.
What true words! It's SO hard to watch our little ones struggle. I think you are excatly right, it's not until after we have experienced things firsthand that we can have true gratitude for our Heavenly Father's gifts. After Wyatt's first terrible flu, I called my mom not for advice, but to thank her personally for all the nights she must have sat up with me when I was sick- singing and getting cool washcloths and just holding me. Parenting is amazing- hard, but there's really nothing better!
I ReaLLy LoVe YoUr PoSts! That is So ToUgh WheN KiDs are SiCk, especially BaBieS! So GlaD He is on the MeNd. He LooKs So CuTe! PaReNtHooD is SuCh a ChaLLeNge sometimes. It OpeNs us Up To Emotions We NeVer KneW were TheRe! :)
It is really hard to have sick kids. It only gets worst the more kids you have, I have been struggling with the same thing probably fighting off pnemonia with my children and it is not fun. I find these bugs are getting worst and worst and I feel souly responsible with doing the natural medicines myself (we don't have insurance)So the stress and emotion that goes into getting these kids better leaves you completly wiped out. But way to go to observe lifes lessons during the trial. Hey, I noticed you left a comment on my blog...So Alexis and MaKayla didn't get to play in ASTA because I couldn't get anyone to call me back. Not having a teacher in the county doesn't help. Thanks to you and Carrie registration WAS a snap. You are sorely missed and the program has not been the same since we lost you guys. Alexis will be in the orient during Brigham's festival of which Russell would have been her judge. Oh well, there is always next year.
I have often thought that I just wouldn't know what to do if Abe got really sick. I just consider myself blessed that he's been so healthy so far! Thank you for your great insights into parenting; what a responsibility it is!
And way to go Sam- you brought your little tooth down finally! When you see your cousin next, hopefully you'll both have a full set of teeth :) (that's kind of funny to think about).
He is so handsome. What a beautiful baby! Isaac still doesn't have any teeth...
Just wanted say I love checking in on your blog every so often. What a wonderful family you are!:-) Write soon. Hilsen fra Norge! David Sandum, Norway.
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