Health...

Just to get caught up....here's a draft post I wrote on October 17, 2012:
There's been a theme in our life the last 5 + months....health...good, bad, and ugly. And, for the most part, I've chosen to compartmentalize it...taking each illness one-by-one and not allowing the bigger picture to be present in my mind's eye. Well, I've finally come to it. Even in the last post (WAY back on July 31) talks about Rachael's 2nd ear infection since the tubes were no longer in the proper position in her ear canal. And, now, we're just completing a course of antibiotics for the THIRD ear infection since the tubes have been removed.

I don't take good health for granted -- I never have. I count my blessings for each day that my family (extended, included) is healthy. So, while my blessings are many, I'm struggling to keep that focus when our little family has had so many illnesses this year. Since May, the kids have had 3-4 viruses a piece, Mike's had 3 bouts with fever (one case that was tonsilitis) and I've had a run-in with possible oral herpes and a virus with fever that lasted for 21 days in September! Now, none of this compares to the chronic illnesses and life-threatening illnesses that are being faced by members of our extended family, but, for these working parents who live 350 miles from family, these illnesses haven't made life easy.
I never expected life with kids to be "easy" but, whoa. My eyes have been opened to the real deal that is parenting two small children and holding down two full-time jobs. I'm beat. I can't seem to focus on my own health (especially my exercise routine) when I'm focused on my children's health and balancing a full work schedule. It's been a rough road and I know it won't necessarily get easier, but, I do hope that I'm learning to cope better and to get our family in to a groove where these setbacks don't throw us for a complete loop.