My Jonah

Oh, how I have struggled with this 12 yr old boy lately-but it's me more than him that is the problem. I get so frustrated about little things he does that make me feel crazy, but I do just love this boy. Here's a few things he's done lately that I love:

Three of the kids have whooping cough-he's one of them, but has a milder case than the younger ones. Anyway, I've been sleeping on the recliner couch with the 2 little girls-one on either side of me so I can take care of them when they start coughing & then vomiting. Hannah is on another couch helping during the nights-often one of the girls is with her. And Jonah is on the other couch-so we're all sleeping in the living room. Last night as I lay awake I was so thankful that the older kids have decided on their own to stay downstairs with us in case we need help. My dh is having a problem with his back & needs to sleep in bed. He's offered to take a turn for me, but I've refused. He has to do traction twice/day & see the chiro 3 times/week plus work 70 hours/week. He needs to be in bed. Anyway, every time 1 of the girls starts coughing, the other one does, too. Jonah bolts off the couch ready with paper towels & then rinses the puke bowls out & brings them back. I never asked him to do this & he doesn't complain or say it's gross.

Since his case is milder than the girls, I have let him go snowboarding every Saturday as long as he lays low all week. His older sister skis & they both hang out at the ski mtn with my best friend & her boys. Plus, good friends live at the top of the hill & have a ski lift in their back yard...so they can go there, too. I am very comfortable with the arrangement. Anyway, last week, a 12 yr old boy was skiing too fast on a trail he wasn't familiar with & he hit a jump head first & was yelling & crying. Jonah & his 2 friends went to him.and Jonah stayed with him whyile the other 2 boys skiied downhill to get ski patrol. He said the hardest part was when the boy started feeling ok he wanted to get up & get back to skiing. Jonah made him stay in place until the ski patrol got there w/ the snowmobile & stretcher. I don't know how he knew to keep him still. I was so proud of him!

Another thing that happened was last week I got to a point where it felt like we were going to be sick forever. I've been dealing with health issues for me & all the kids since September-it's been one thing or the other. I know it could be worse, but I got to a point where I was deeply discouraged. I was on my bed laying down with the 2 yr old trying to get her down for a nap. I was worried & fearful about the coughing, the choking on phglem, the vomiting & worried about them aspirating & then getting pneumonia. I was tired, way over tired from sleeping for 3 weeks on the couch with the girls & getting woken up several times a night to high adrenaline of grabbing buckets & reassuring them. They wake up panicked because they can't get enough air & flail around while their vomiting. You can imagine how much throw up gets on me, the blankets & the couch.

Anyway, I was laying there on the bed sobbing my heart out. Next thing I know, I open my eyes & thru a blur of tears see my son standing at the side of the bed with his hand lightly on my arm (I didn't feel it) , his eyes closed & mouth moving in silent prayer for me, for us. I don't have to tell you that made me cry more...but it was good. What a sweet beautiful boy he is. All the little things he does or doesn't do that irritate me pale in comparison to how wonderful he is.

There's much more I want to write about the last 5 weeks w/ pertussis, but that is for another post. This one is about my boy, whom I love and am so proud of.