Aww...FLU-eey!

My son tested positive for flu yesterday -- his second one this season, despite flu shots for our whole family. This explains why my sinus infection hasn't cleared up as fast as I'd have liked -- I must have it, too. Luckily my fever is finally on the way down, while his is up. My husband came home from work early yesterday with fever and flu symptoms, too, and our daughter seems to be next in line. There's nothing like a house filled with flu to bring a family together.

We had a moment of excitement in the middle of the night when our son had a bad reaction to the Tamiflu he was prescribed. He came running into our room, screaming and delusional -- and sound asleep. It was freaky. He had several major night terrors, so the Tamiflu went down the drain. He'll have to ride out the flu the old-fashioned way like we do -- homemade chicken soup and lots of rest and fluids.

Speaking of fluids, it's kind of gross but funny -- as I cleaned his vomit off the kitchen floor yesterday I automatically remembered our childless days, when I would fantasize about such an opportunity to care for a sick child of my own. I realized it was a privilege.

It reminded me of an earlier realization that I'm sure I've blogged about before. But I shared it today with my son as we were both feeling miserable. I explained that we were born into this world to receive a body, and although we knew it was one that would get sick and hurt and eventually die, we shouted for joy at the idea (Job 38:7). The evil spirits who were willing to enter into swine (Mark 5:3) are a reminder of how lucky we are to have an earthly home (albeit an imperfect one) for our spirits. Like a cute little kid who throws up in my kitchen, having a body that can get flu or cancer or night terrors is a privilege.

When we feel sick and hurt we can remember that we were happy to get to have these bodies, and after we die we will look forward to a resurrected body that will not have to deal with illness or pain or death ever again.

And our kitchen floors will probably be easier to keep clean.