Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Home Sick Makes Me Homesick

Today I am stuck at home sick. I have had my share of colds and allergies in the last couple of years, but it has been a very long time since I had the whole fever thing...chills, headache, racking cough. ICK!! Aren't you glad you are reading this and not sitting next to me?! And in addition, I have 3 kids home with the same thing.

So here I am shuffling around in a robe, blanket, and slippers taking care of my kids when I personally just want my own mom to come tuck me in and bring me a cup of tea. Pathetic, but true. There is something about being sick that makes me homesick for my mom.

Growing up, my mom loved us kids dearly but did not believe in spoiling us. She is of true pioneer stock and somehow has a pain threshold to match which none of us kids inherited. But when one of us 5 kids got truly sick, Mom turned on the sympathy like crazy. I would eat saltine crackers and drink hot lemonade and she would read me books in bed under a "tent" of sheets. But by far, the most luxurious thing she did for me was to let me put my little replica of the Liberty Bell on my nightstand. When I needed something I would ring and she would come find out what I "required" of her. Truly!!

That little bell disappeared at some point and I hadn't thought of it for ages until this Christmas. Just this last Fall, Mom and Dad made another trip to the East Coast and for Christmas, one of my "funny" gifts was that little replica bell. I am tempted to put it on my nightstand for old times sake...but am a little afraid one of my kids will see it, want to know the story, and want to put it on their own nightstand. I don't think it is a tradition I care to pass down! (: But I will make them hot lemonade and I have a good supply of saltine crackers in the pantry so I think we will all be ok.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

OH No! I am sorry y'all are sick!

I love the story of the liberty bell!

Lara said...

It is amazing that we don't all have horrible associations with saltine crackers. That's all we'd get as kids when we were sick with either coke or ginger ale for the stomach flu and with chicken noodle soup for anything else! Hang in there I hate to be sick and cold so stay warm!