My Momma-Their Grandma-Our Joan

I remember being sick as a child and my parents telling me that they would gladly be sick in my place-that they would take my germs, suffer the symptoms if it meant that I'd be healthy and pain free. This happened probably every time I was sick and miserable with ear infections, eye infections, stomach bugs and more. I think all parents wish that for their kids. Of course, it's one of those things that you probably never really understand until you have kids of your own. And even having kids of my own, it's not that easy. It's a type of magic that one can't do-I could never take away germs from Sidney Kate or Embree Claire and make them better-but I tell them that I would. If God allowed me such power I would be all over it.

However, over the past three weeks my mom has come as close as anyone could to making this happen. She has sacrificed herself, and indirectly my "Deddy" to help take away the germs of my household. For some strange reason, our home has been bombarded with germs, upon germs, upon germs...nonstop the past THREE weeks. I'm not talking little sniffles and tickle coughs...I'm talking "belly hurts," high-endless fevers, stomach bugs (and all that comes with it), more, random high fevers, sore throats, eye infections, ear infections, body aches/pains and runny...everything. But not once, when she was phoned, did she say no to my calls and requests for help. "Help keep a child so I can go to work", "help keep a child so I could heal myself", "help me not lose my mind because everyone is sick and there is no standing adult left in this house to properly care for a toddler." Every time she was needed she said yes and, in turn, sacrificed her health, knowing that more than likely she would be sick next. She said yes to help us survive the illness so we could get better-faster. She couldn't take away the pain and make us healthy but she sure made being sick a lot easier. Talk about a bright spot during a storm-that would be her. What a blessing from God: to have a mom who is a caregiver by nature...just like her mom. 

Now that we are on the mend...she's sick. The picture above is Embree Claire cleaning at Grandma's...I wish we could just arrive at her house and clean those germs away for her. Since we can't-let's all say a prayer for Momma-Grandma-Joan...BEST MOM EVER! :)