Sickies

We’re back from our travels. We had a great time connecting with family and enjoying the beauty of the Northwest. As good as the time was, though, we couldn’t wait to get back to mama and our littles.
Sadly, when we got back, we found them sick. It was the runny nose and sore throat kind of sick. They were sleep-deprived and groggy.
Honestly, I felt a little guilty. Here we were, fresh off the plane with big smiles and tons of great stories to tell about sunny weather, evergreen trees, hikes in the woods and wonderful times with family. And there they were, wiping their noses, red-eyed and still shaking off the frost bite from the winter deep freeze of the midwest.
Granted, we couldn’t have known these things would befall them when we made the plans for the trip. But I still feel bad for leaving them. They needed someone to take care of them. I should have been here to fetch hot tea and lemon for my wife while she fed the baby. I should have been changing the twins’ diapers while she took a nap. Instead, she did it all on her own while feeling like death warmed over. She’s a trooper, to put it mildly.
All I can say for myself now is that I’m so glad to be home. I missed my wife and baby and toddler twins immensely while we were gone. Being back together as a whole family feels so good. Traveling was great and we had tons of fun, but reuniting with my team is sweeter still.
I tried to atone for my sin of absenteeism by working from home on my first day back from the trip. This allowed me to occupy the kids while my wife caught a few winks of sleep during the day. She needed them after the sleepless night of comforting a 6-month-old with a sore throat. If it were possible to transfer the sore throat and sniffles from my wife and baby to me, I would do it in a heartbeat. All I want for them right now is for them to be well.
Amid the health hardships at our house now, I am pleased to report that our little guy apparently remembered me just fine when we returned. Even though he was sick and suffering when he met us at the airport, he still graced us with one of his big beaming smiles the moment we appeared. Granted, he does smile at everyone and everything, but I could still see that distinct look of recognition when he saw us. Apparently the saying that absence makes the heart grow fonder applies to infants as well. That was a happy discovery.