Love, sick

By Kris

For three weeks now, nausea has permeated every cell of my body, all day long. Can one's hair be nauseous? Well, mine is.

This queasiness is a symptom of my new pregnancy, which I've anticipated since miscarrying last March. So in that respect, I am thankful to feel sick.

But it has stopped me in my tracks. Rather than racing from one chore to the next, I have been sitting on the couch. With my feet up.

Normally, my two boys can find me in the kitchen, in the laundry room, or ricocheting about the house picking up, dusting or cleaning toilets. When I do sit, I go to the computer to browse blogs, check e-mail or write.

With all of this sitting on the couch, I have spent more time with my kids. It seems that when I stop, their orbit narrows. As they coast by, they stop for a hug and a kiss, or just to curl up under my arm for some quiet time. During one of these moments, Ben looked up at me and said, "This is great." And I had to ask myself, "Why don't I just sit a little more often?"

Last weekend, the nausea overcame me. My husband took Friday off, and for three days he handled all meals and childcare. In between, he grocery shopped, got the minivan's oil changed, rubbed my feet, and completed a few projects around the house. He even did some laundry, for which I immediately forgave him.

Meanwhile, I slept until 10 a.m., then lay on the couch watching TV and plotting my next attempt at solid food. I ignored the filthy rugs, sticky floors and smelly bathrooms. I also tickled John, perused toy catalogs with Ben, and watched Brian wrangle the kids into their pajamas, solo.

So, besides signaling the possibility of a new baby, my nausea has reminded me to just stop, long enough to get a hug, to recharge, to appreciate my husband. For all of this, I'm thankful.

Comments

[Shirley]

thats the lists of the good and the bad when we get overwhelmed at times. We think of all the things that help us through the rough spot, in other words you're a team. Corny but true.

Shirley