christmas day

well our christmas day was certainly not what any of us expected

boo-boo's sickness kept her up all night

at midnight, bugsy decided to join the party and got terribly sick

somehow papaya slept blissfully unaware of the happenings

as the big cheese and i switched beds, made beds, arranged kids

rinsed out buckets again and again

by morning i felt bleary and weary

and my hands were raw from being washed over and over and over

gratefully, our non-sick child is very patient

and put up with the "ill" and simply tired members of her family very well

if it wasn't for papaya, we might have just cancelled presents till the next day

but i just couldn't look at her and do it

the two other sisters rallied, well barely, to the occasion

but boo-boo had to interrupt the plans for.....

well, a little break

this picture was taken at the end of the morning

you can tell that she was barely hanging on....

and right after the last present was unwrapped

she laid down on the living room floor

and passed out

we picked her up and laid her on the chair

which she didn't move from for most of the rest of the day

a little later in the day, not wanting to miss the festivities

the big cheese thought he would join along with the girls

and found his place on the couch

so papaya and i snuggled, read books

and assembled the toy from grandma and grandpa

all in all, it wasn't awful

except i felt terrible for boo-boo who had it the worst

took her a few days to recover from it too

so many things to be thankful for though

we were still together and could care for one another

we had food (though not many were eating), shelter and each other

as we look at the gift of the manger, we have a reason to hope and keep on

when i see so many who don't or won't