A disappointing turn of events: illness!

We need prayer as four of the five babies are now sick, with Will having turned the corner to good health and darling, dimpled happiness. I think Will being sick is just about equal to all four of the others being sick at the same time, he's so vocal and clingy in his misery, so that's a mercy he wasn't sick WITH them! I really need to count my blessings right now when I am tempted to throw a pity party. It's also encouraging to see him so much better after a day-and-a-half. It seems to be gastroenteritis rather than just a persistent ear infection as we initially suspected. All the kids are following the same course Will's did (his fever started Saturday afternoon on the airplane; Monday morning he woke up fine). The ones to get it yesterday morning were non-feverish by this afternoon, and Seth who didn't get it until yesterday afternoon is still feverish but is the only one, thank God. Back to counting blessings: vomiting has not been a big deal with this strain of the tummy bug, and they don't seem really nauseated either, just crampy and not interested in food as much as they normally would be.

This photo of the kids watching Old McDonald yesterday pretty much tells the tale of who was feeling better, who was miserable, and who was getting sick. Gracie's eyes just look terrible, and Marcie and David are zoned out. Seth is less smiley than normal, but Will is feeling just fine. :)

Anyway, all this to say, please pray for their health, Lord willing, and OUR STAMINA. The nights have been interrupted multiple times. It's a challenge to be adjusting to a new time zone and different sleeping arrangements and dealing with tummy illness concurrently. Please also pray no one else gets this - most especially anyone in the wedding party or even attending the wedding! :}

Maybe most of all I need prayer for my attitude. It's easy to be a "good" Christian when everything is going great; much harder when my loving Heavenly Father doesn't conform to my "personal genii in the sky" desires. I love this post my mom sent me yesterday and found a lot of help from it even though it's dealing with a MUCH weightier trial than ours (and having myself gone through years of infertility, a miscarriage, and an ectopic rupture, I can feel some of this couple's deep pain and their subsequent joy):

I Think You Also Need to Hear Romans 8:29

The pictures we had up at a get-together with CA family and friends yesterday afternoon - yes, right when the four kids were sick and getting sicker. :( It was very disappointing to us that some people couldn't come due to the risk of exposure, and no one got to see Marcie, David, Seth and Gracie at their best! But perhaps that's just stupid motherly pride; obviously I'm most sad about my kiddos feeling yucky, and everyone who came yesterday loves us anyway and prays for us. :)

Gracie (before she got sick) enjoying Papa and Marmi's CD shelf. They CDs have since been moved. :)