Day 21: Be Kind to My Husband

The last time I had the flu, was . . . actually, it was last year. I had the swine flu. This year, I have Influenza A.

Prior to that, the last time I had the flu was in 1993. I remember it really well because I was sick for over two weeks. I ran a fever for 11 straight days. Vomitted for 5 straight days. And in the midst of ALL of that, I was taking finals so I could graduate from college. Yep. Fond memories. (Oh, and I got THAT flu because I took a flu shot and it made me actually get the flu).

It's not pleasant to get sick when you're the mama. People have expectations of you when you're the mama. People still want to be fed. They still want to be played with (talking about the little people here . . . well, and maybe the grown-ups too). They still want to have clean clothes. The list could go on.

Now fortunately, I am married to a man who cleans my kitchen almost every night. He does several loads of laundry a week. And when he wants to, he can cook. He's a pretty awesome dad of toddlers, so he does really well at bathtime and bedtime and all the in-between times.

Unfortunately, he is missing the gene that allows him to remember what medicine which child needs (they've had the flu as well), who can/can't drink/eat what, whose toothbrush is whose (whom's?) etc.

He's not really sure what shoes go with which outfit, or even how to put an "outfit" together for that matter.

And he's not so great in the "nurturing" department. He really can't understand why I can't just suck it up and get well. Truthfully, the man believes you can just "will" yourself well. Maybe you can. I don't know.

But, in his defense, he has so much going for him, and I'm pretty sure I am a GROUCH, so, I should appreciate him way more than I have.

Case in point of my grouchiness. This morning, I was in the closet picking out an outfit for the girls. I was belaboring the decision (because in my weakened state EVERY decision must be belabored!) and he was standing over me. I finally snapped at him (confession) and said, "What?!" He looked at me and said, "I'm just waiting for you to finish so I can get my clothes." (He didn't say it with any malice or attitude. Just the sentence.)

I replied, "Use your words, Mike. Use your words." (I did say it with an attitude, and perhaps a bit of malice) I continued into a long tirade about how if he had just asked me to move over, instead of hovering over me, he could have gotten his clothes much quicker. Ugh.

"Use your words" is a phrase we often use with our toddlers when they are having a fit or whining, so the phrase itself, when used on a grown man is laden with attitude.

You see what I mean by GROUCH?

All that to say, I hope to be well soon. Please be kind to my husband when you see him. He probably needs it.