Fridays are tough for me. As the week draws to a close I find myself getting more and more exhausted and more and more ready for a break. I usually find myself trudging home tired and ready for the weekend to start. This past Friday was no exception. It was raining, my boots had all of a sudden decided that they were no longer waterproof, my growing belly felt heavy, and the cold I could feel coming on all week was attacking me at full force. I was looking forward to seeing my family and just doing nothing for a while.

Still, my organizer was full of things I wanted to accomplish on the weekend and my mind was racing with ideas of productivity.

I walked up to the front door of my condo, rung the bell three times and then knocked as I pulled out my key. This is my typical after-work greeting, ensuring that my boys know for sure I am home and giving them time to feign adequate excitement. As I pushed open the door I heard my husband say “Mama’s home” and saw them slowly coming towards the door in greeting. This was odd. Normally “Mama’s home” is followed by “Mama! Hi Mama!” and the pitter patter of little feet running towards me (unless, of course, there is something more interesting than Mama happening elsewhere in the house).

“How’s my family?” I asked.

“Well…” Dan started. “Cam’s been sick. Twice since we’ve been home so far. Which hasn’t been that long.”

And thus commenced a weekend full of sick and flu and wondering when this flu would leave us.

Which means that all of that productivity I had planned never happened. In fact, we did little but clean up sick, try to keep the boy comfortable, and watch Cars. Utterly exhausting.

Here we were, a family worn out, a little boy sick, a weekend lost. And yet, blessings were found.

While Cameron was sitting on the lazy-boy sharing some sick-day snuggles with his Daddy, I heard Dan whisper, “I think God makes good little boys sick so that they can take some time out to snuggle with their Daddies and Mommies.”

Cameron is a loving boy. He gives lots of kisses and even more hugs, sometimes even when asked. He likes to play with his parents and sometimes he even wants someone to sit with him on the couch. But usually, Cameron is an active, fun-seeking boy who doesn’t want to waste any time with cuddles.

So, even though we prayed for health and wished that Cam could be back to his normal self, we found little moments of bliss in all of the snuggle time Cameron required.

This weekend really emphasized what parenting is all about. It isn’t at all easy. It is messy and exhausting and painful. And it is so, unbelievably rewarding. Even though my to-do list grew instead of shrunk, even though I finished the weekend more exhausted than I started it, and even though Cameron spent the whole time feeling absolutely lousy, this weekend provided us with some really beautiful family time, and for that, I am thankful.

*Thanks to my husband for taking so many awesome photos this week and weekend. Otherwise, I fear I might have failed this photo project one week in. Trying to remember to take more pictures, as that is the whole point.*

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MommysMiracle/~3/LjzAbI7iR7o/faces-of-a-family-week-2.html