Sleep Deprived but Oh So Thankful

Mikey caught a virus. A virus that has  made him feeling absolutely miserable the last 2 days. Basically needing him to be held day and night.

Of course being a mom of 14 I have had many sleepless nights because of sickness, I have cuddled many ailing  babies, I have nursed many fevers, I have wiped many runny noses, I have prayed and prayed through many nasty viruses. Yet, every time one of our kiddos are so sick, it breaks my heart and I feel so helpless to comfort them. It's something I don't think you can ever get used to!

As I was awake during the night with Mikey and was counting the hours of sleep I was missing, I was leaning towards a bad attitude. I am not one who functions well on lack of sleep. I like my sleep. I always have. That's why it's only a miracle that I have made it sanely through 14 newborns!

But last night as our little guy was in such pain and I wasn't easily able to comfort him, I had to think of parents who have went through or are going through major illness or terminal illness with their children. I felt so helpless with just virus, how would it be to deal after this day in and day out. How many sleepless nights have they had. How many tear- filled prayers have they prayed. How many times have they heard that first cough or sneeze and feared the worst. How many runny noses have they wiped all the while begging God that it would not turn into something life threatening. Or what about the parents whose empty arms are aching to hold their children one last time. Or who are exhausted from sleepless nights due to mourning their dear little one who was noon longer with them. Or the parents who are feeling torn inside because they are  running back and forth from visiting their sick child at the hospital to caring for their children still left at home.

And then in the midst of my tiredness, my frustration, my feeling of helplessness, I was thankful. Thankful that even though my night was rough, I was able to cuddle, comfort, pamper and pray for this little guy. It was all a matter of my attitude and the way I looked at things. Nothing had changed on the outside. I was still sleep deprived, I was still at a loss for how to comfort. But inside I had changed. I realized how very blessed I was. And just like that, things didn't seem so bleak or overwhelming. Then I said a heartfelt prayer for those parents. The ones who were not able to experience all I was experiencing right now. I prayed for peace and joy and strength and grace.

As the saying goes, "There is always someone worse off than you" What does this really mean? It means that no matter how bad your life is, there's always someone who is in a worse situation.
"I cried because I had no shoes. Then I met a man who had no feet."