The Cure

Instead of being up to my eyeballs in wrapping paper and Christmas ribbon like I should be this week, I am following Addisyn around with a box of tissues and a thermometer.  By the way, I much prefer the former, but this bad case of bronchitis comes with a perk for me: all she wants to do is cuddle. And although it breaks my heart to see her coughing uncontrollably and whimpering for her momma in the middle of the night, it sure as heck makes me feel important to know that laying on my chest is her idea of an immediate cure.

Isn’t it funny that when our kids are sick our gut reaction is to hold them close and comfort them, but when somebody else is sick we arm ourselves with Lysol and a ten foot pole? It is in our nature as parents to love our children without fear, without armor, and certainly without a ten foot pole. Yet, sometimes we unknowingly teach them that success in the world is more important than love in the home.  Then, other times, being the only person who can sooth the cries of a sick child reminds us just how important and fulfilling our responsibility as a parent is.

Last night I was up late editing pictures when I heard Addisyn over the baby monitor violently coughing and screaming out for me. I ran up two flights of stairs swiping some medicine from the kitchen without hesitation and scooped her up in my arms. She wouldn’t stop coughing this time and I brought her downstairs so as not to wake up Steve. When I finally convinced her to swallow her medicine she was wide awake and not wanting to go back to sleep so I turned on an episode of The Bernstein Bears and held her for the next thirty minutes. Waves of peace….

I wonder how many children out there cannot feel love from their parents. Worse, I wonder how many parents arm themselves so much with every other  worldly thing in life that they don’t get to feel the arms of their child reaching out to them in need.   Here I am praying for the sweet love of another child when God has blessed me with the gift of Addisyn. I get to give one-hundred percent of my time and attention to her so that she may know each day that she is loved.  I get to be her cure each day if she needs me. How is that for a job?

Addisyn (although still sick) has her silly spirit back. These are photos from this evening.

We built tall towers and then smashed them to pieces

We played "Hide and Go Seek"

She wanted to read the book about the monkey (Curious George)

She wanted to give me this silly face while taking a bath

and she wore this hat and these gloves around the living room