Christmas Sickness (a blog by B)
Well, Christmas has come and gone and I'm just now getting around to posting this. Don't worry, there is a very good reason for this delay. I'll get back to you with the reason as soon as I can think of one.
I guess for one, we have been very busy with parties, eating, presents, family, friends, and of course puking. Yep, you read correctly - puking. We had plans for friends coming over Christmas Eve and then on Christmas day. Unfortunately, Tuesday night Steven decided that the walls in his room were too plain and needed a little decorating.
Around 10:00pm I heard him making some weird noises. When I went in to investigate, he had added several pieces of undigested food not only to the wall, but all over the mattress, pillow, his clothing, and even poor Puppy (the stuffed animal he sleeps with).
Once I stuck my head out of the window for some fresh air in order not to puke myself, Jesse and I proceeded to clean up. Thinking this was a one time deal, we went back to bed just to hear him throwing up again 30 min later. So, once again, we cleaned up and I decided I would sleep with him in case this throwing up continued. Good call. It went on all night. Neither of us got any sleep and by the time Jesse woke up the next morning we were both exhausted.
Jesse took over the morning shift as I tried to get some sleep. Luckily, Steven stopped throwing up but just lay around all day not wanting to do anything (this was Christmas Eve). That evening, we had a few friends over for supper which was a good distraction. By the time Christmas morning came Steven was back to normal and raring to go for the presents. That morning we had a Christmas brunch that included blueberry muffins, eggs, biscuits, gravy, bacon, hashbrowns, and juice. It was only lacking grits (which I ended up getting for Christmas thanks to my family). 
Later that afternoon we skyped my family and opened gifts. It felt like they were there with us. Skype is the best invention ever! 
After the gifts were opened, the boys crashed and Jesse and I lay around like slugs. It was a great Christmas. Then on Friday, we had our team Christmas party at TGI Fridays. 
We had such a good time and I even got to wear my red boots that my sisters sent me last year. My feet suffered greatly but at least I looked good (hahahaha). The food was wonderful and I enjoyed every bite.
Unfortunately, it is not as good coming back up. Yep, that's right - Friday evening it was my turn to throw up. That night was spent hugging the toilet (and not because I needed to be comforted). I was glad at least I was the only sick one in the family. Right? Wrong.
When I fed Matthew early Saturday morning, he started throwing up and crying because he wasn't feeling good. I was so glad I had a strong, healthy husband to take care of the kids so I could get some rest. Right? WRONG AGAIN! Saturday morning I woke up to Jesse throwing up. So, here we were. Steven going mad because he still wasn't feeling good and he had not been out of the apartment in 5 days, another child who wanted to be held all the time because it hurt his tummy to lay down, me who could barely walk, and a husband who was throwing up and stumbling back to the bed. Times like these make me wonder "Is it worth it"? Being here with no family to help out, not able to give my kids lots and lots of toys, going without the comforts I am used to?
With much debate, :) I've decided that it is. No matter what we go through, anything is better than what he went through for us. There is always someone worse off than me. So, as I talked to him I thanked him for what we did have. A wonderful family with two beautiful sons, a beautiful apartment, food, clothing, friends and family. When I'm tempted to give up or start complaining, he always seems to remind me to look around. What I see are people with so much less than me. Old women standing on corners in rags begging because they can't work, men stumbling in their drunkenness and hopelessness, people living in a hole in the ground so as not to freeze in the winter, people lost in their desperate search for something, and they don't even know what it is. Like every big city in the world, Moscow has its share of hurting people.
Even if I don't have anything else (no food, clothing, friends, family, shelter, love), if I die alone with nothing to my name, I still have him. I think of what my life will be like after I die. Then everything I have (or don't have) here seems unimportant and insufficient. I am privileged to know him. If nothing else, I will always have that and that is all I need.
Sorry to go off like that. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with how much I have been given! Anyway, Saturday I called a friend who so graciously came over to take care of the kids so Jesse and I could rest. By Sunday, we were all feeling much better and by Monday, back to normal. So, all in all, we had a great (yet challenging) Christmas. I will wait to write about New Years in the next post which will be soon so keep checking. Until then, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Enjoy the photos!
A Russian Christmas decoration:
Jesse reading the Christmas story:
Just some cute pictures:
