The Valentine's Day Malady

This has been a memorable Valentine's Day, but not for the fun memories or pictures. I have been playing doctor as four out of six of us have come down with a stomach flu (you may want to skip the following details). First Dominik started with diarrhea on Sunday, followed with fairly persistent diaper rash. Very early this morning Natalie threw up in bed (so Dominik's diarrhea probably wasn't related to his fascination with eating non-edible items, as we first thought). Cindy was the next casualty this morning, and Konrad got sick during dinner tonight.

It is a blessing that I work so close to home. I was able to come home at lunch today and tend to the healthy and sick, clean up around the house, and go to the store for stomach bug remedies and crackers. I picked up pizza for dinner tonight and tended to the healthy and sick again. I must have washed my hands fifty times today.

While we were cleaning up for bed I asked Lukas (the only healthy person besides me) to clean up the Legos in his room. He muttered something to the effect that he hopes everyone is not sick like this again, and that he does not like to put things away without help. What a great opportunity Lukas gave me to talk to him about compassion and love on Valentine's Day.