No...not that...anything but THAT!!!!

Yes.

A stomach virus.

That is one of those things that, when 'going around', makes mothers quake in their pretty slip ons (or in my case, the purposeful, dark, slip ons that aren't so much pretty as they are useful and comfortable).

Especially mothers with "more than the average" number of children...

Why?

Because one child throwing up is bad. Only, start spreading those germs around, amongst 3, 5, 7 siblings...and you end up with a pile of laundry the size of Mt St Helens, Kilimanjaro, K2, Mt Blanc, and Mt Fuji, combined. Oh, and toss in Ayre's Rock (for you Aussies).

Fortunately for us, this bug seems to be taking it slowly through the family.

It started (as these things are wont to do) at 3am. With the 7 yr old. Who, using 7 yr old "logic", decided to head to the kitchen for a dishtowel to "catch" anything, before heading to the bathroom (which was about 10 steps from her doorway...sigh). She didn't make it to the bathroom. SO I was cleaning carpet and little girl at 3 am. Then, one of the twins started up about 15 min after I had finished cleaning up #2 and gotten some laundry started, and slid back between the sheets.

I'm sure you mothers know that sound...that cough. The one that tells you "Forget sleep, Rachel--you can sleep when you're dead, cause you sure aren't going to be doing it *tonight*!".

I heard that one from two doors down and raced to the twins room to find Twin 2 in full 'stomach virus glory", as only an almost 3 yr old can do it. Oh mercy maud...Got him cleaned up, fresh bedding, pjs, blanket, etc...switched the laundry over, and got back into bed...when 20 minutes later...#2 child got to the bathroom this time--but not quite to the toilet. I'd laugh if it was funny.

But cleaning bathroom floors is not something I enjoy at 4pm. Much less at 4am. UGH.

So went my night/morning--whatever you want to call it...a blur of towels and pajamas and washcloths and laundry being switched over and spray bottles of white vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and dish soap combination (kills a lot of germs, that stuff), bottles of pedialyte chilling in the fridge for children's consumption later...

Twin #2 is doing okay, as of this point. It was touch and go through most of the day, and after a nap this afternoon (long, and late) he seems to be doing better. Now, it is Twin #1s turn at bat. Child #2 (the seven year old dishtowel child) also seems to be doing a bit better--although she did take a several hour long 'nap' this afternoon. And is back to bed already. I'm praying the other two girls don't come down with it, but I won't hold my breath. They share a room. They share EVERYTHING. Germs included.

And of course, now El Husbando says he isn't feeling so hot.

At least he can change his own clothes and get himself to the bathroom. Whew.

Please. Pray that they are okay. I don't mind doing laundry. I don't mind cleaning up various bodily fluids. I'm a mom, I've already had them either spit on me, leaked on me, or landing on me in some odd fashioned--or heck, just plain old wiped on me...it's not enjoyable, but hey, it comes with the territory. I just don't want/need dehydrated children who cannot keep anything down...ER visits are not my friend (we picked up a really vile stomach bug when we went in once for a broken collarbone--but that is a story for another day). Especially not when chances are, I'd be in there with more than one fidgety child. That's a real horror show for you...

So far, we're holding our own, though, so prayers would of course be much appreciated....

Thanks in advance, btw...

In better news, I will *not* be going camping. Supercow has made it her mission in life to spend time on the "greener side of the fence", eating the yummy short tender 'candy' grass, as opposed to having to search it out in the pastures--which we need to mow, but we need a better tractor set up for that, to be honest. Between that, and the several other animals needing care/attention twice a day, well, there's just no way we're going to ask our friends to come here twice a day to take care of our critters.

This also enables me to get a few things done that I won't be getting done once El Husbando and the children are back home...as El H's job schedule has reverted to a prior, and much despised 'shift" schedule, instead of being normal hours. So he'll be working some really oddball hours, and we'll have to adjust. I have to get everything done that I can, while I can, before that starts back up...pray I can get through most of it....

That's the Sunday Night Update for our neck of the woods. I do hope that there is no stomach bug at your house, and I am hoping I can come on here tomorrow and say "I got a full night's sleep and everyone is bright eyed and bushy-tailed this morning!" (but I doubt it, lol)...

God bless!