Quarantine (in which I whine excessively)

Germs are tiresome. This is what I have officially concluded. We are going on two and a half weeks of sick here at the Stay household. Just colds, you understand, and when my brain is not fogged and clogged with all the goo my body is creating, I am indeed very grateful that all we have is colds. Truly we are blessed.

Still…

This morning I woke up thinking of the bliss of one more day of weekend, one more day that I would at least sort of get to rest a bit and prepare for the coming week. A bit over two weeks into our latest bout of illness, and only Brice and I are still sick. Coriel was first to get it and first to end it. Then Addra. Brice came next and lingered in sickness as he often does, largely because he’s doing such an amazing job of taking care of the rest of us and saving no rest for himself. I almost beat it this time, thanks to my dad’s excellent vitamin A advice. But no dice, here I am sick too, with that dreadful pressure that makes my head feel like it’s going to explode every time I attempt to blow the gunk out of my nose. But, I thought to myself, a couple more days and I’ll feel fine.

And then, this morning, Coriel slept in. A blessing indeed, I thought. And then she got up for breakfast.

And then she lay down to take a nap. Hooray, you say? You do not know my daughter.

The second time she lay down to rest, it became official. Coriel is sick.

Again.

This means I have at best a week or so to finish getting over my cold just in time to get whatever she’s got. Oh, and during that time, both Addra and Brice will also be getting sick.

The most dispiriting thing about this all, besides just feeling like a pile of yuck, is that we become quarantined, stuck with only ourselves for entertainment. Social engagements are canceled (the few we have planned), trips to the store or the bouncy place or even the gym are postponed. You can’t hire a babysitter, you can’t drop your kids off elsewhere for a couple hours of relaxation. (Well, you can sometimes foist them off on the grandmothers, but I doubt ours are coming back from Guatemala or whatever cloud my mom is crocheting on just to watch our sick kids.) There is no escape.

I have a friend who tells me to stay home and get some rest to get better. It has clearly been years since she had small children. There is nothing restful about staying home with two little ones. It is what I do every day. I do not get to nap when I feel like it or just sit around and watch romantic comedies. I get to take care of the kids.

I am tired of being quarantined. I am tired of being sick. I am entirely too whiny.

Write me something silly and completely unrelated to cheer me up?