Long December (and January and February and probably March)

Some winters feel longer than others.  This one, unfortunately, takes the record for the Longest. Winter. Ever. I figured this would be the year that our once homeschooled kid would finally have enough germ exposure to boost his immunity, thus staving off colds more efficiently. I figured wrong, as we were in Urgent Care late on a Sunday a few weeks ago confirming another strep throat infection (thankfully, this time without the pneumonia).  And that’s just one kid, with the other two bringing home a flu scare, vomit, and not one, but TWO surgeries on Jackson’s finger after being injured just before Christmas.  What people underestimate is the stress that kids feel after missing school and being sick, missing friends, and the overall disappointment that comes with altered plans . . . or a basketball season that gets missed entirely (again, the freaking finger).  It’s been a physically and emotionally exhausting season which forced us into a pseudo-hibernation, and although it’s been so necessary considering the weight of all of the nonsense dragging us down, being home too much is currently driving us stir crazy. Emphasis on crazy.  Yeah, we’ve had some snow days, but not the beautiful kind we change our pajamas inside out for, but wet slop that freezes in a color gray that’s just downright ugly, alternated with rainy gloom that chills you to the bone.  In my laziness last Wednesday, I was thrilled when I got the early text message that schools were cancelled for weather, so I could close my one eye and go back to sleep.  My visions of a day off did not materialize as such, as there was physical fighting and by mid day, people we sent to their rooms, leaving me to clean up a disaster they had left in their wake. I can’t wait for summer. I really mean it this time.