January Homeschool and Illness

Mason reading to Rebekah.

Saturday everyone felt well so we headed to COSI to explore a visiting exhibit. Unseen Oceans was fun, with interesting information about creatures of the deep, submersibles, underwater research, and more. We visited a few other exhibits before heading home. The rest of the day was spent on an organizing project and family time.

Saturday night I noticed coughing while some of the kids were sleeping. By Sunday morning Tobias had a fever, just like Joseph last week, and he and Rebekah were coughing, along with Makayla. I stayed home from church with those three. We read books, watched some cartoons, and did laundry I had not gotten to on Saturday.

Snuggling sickies on Sunday.

Monday we had three dental cleanings and three eye checkups. We will do that for 3 Mondays this month to get through the family. I got to go see the new Little Women movie with my sister and Makayla. It was good! I think the way they jumped forward and back in time was a bit confusing, but once I realized what they were doing, I enjoyed myself. The movie was beautiful and it made me want to reread Little Women soon.

By Monday evening Samuel had a fever and was sick. Basically, every day this week a child or two took their turn to get a high fever and then end up with the congestion and cough that follows. It hit my younger 4 especially hard and the fever lasted days for each. It wasn't the flu (tested to be sure), but to be honest, we haven't had the flu in years, which I'm grateful for.

Tuesday we started second semester of our homeschool. Between math, language arts, and history it was a solid day. In history the family group (everyone but Joseph) studied Henry Hudson, the Dutch colonies in America, their issues with governers, and the British takeover of what became New York - without the firing of a single shot. Mason had some dental work in the afternoon. By evening he was the child with a fever.

Wednesday morning we worked through our school plans. Two cousins came over to visit while Makayla had a scope and biopsy of her airways and stomach under anesthesia. We'll wait for results of the biopsies, but everything they saw looks ok, just GERD (acid reflux), nothing unexpected like an esophageal hernia or an ulcer. On this day the illness really peaked, with the 4 youngest kids all really sick and miserable. The 1, 4, and 6 year old each fell asleep right after dinner laying all over the couch.

My night was relatively sleepless. Rebekah did not sleep well, coughing and waking 15 times before my 5am alarm clock rang Thursday morning. My husband's work schedule has him up between 2am and 3am each morning to head to work, so night needs are mine to handle on his work days. At 5:40am I drove Joseph to seminary and the day pretty much just kept moving from there. We did school, despite illness, because it was something quiet to do. Rebekah just wanted held all morning, fell asleep on the couch before lunch, woke up for a bit, and then went down for her usual nap in the afternoon. We survived a cranky, coughing, sick house all evening. I got a 45 minute nap after dinner, once my husband was home. He has started his next college class, so he spent the time working on his class while the kids played quietly.

That night Rebekah slept well until 3am, and then was awake and unhappy until 4:30am. I was glad to get back in bed when she finally drifted back to sleep. At 6:15am Friday morning kids started waking up (No alarm clocks) and Makayla got ready for her ride to the airport (thank you grandpa!).
She left at 8am, with only a few tears by siblings, who will miss her bunches. Forty minutes later I ran Mason to the dentist to finish up some dental work. We had no school planned for today. The kids all lounged on the couch, the floor, in their beds and read, played, or relaxed together. One of the perks of this homeschooling life is that we can truly allow our bodies time to rest and heal. We aren't tied to an artificial schedule or pressured that we may end up 'behind'.

Rebekah is still snuggly. She also looks around sadly and says, "I want Pay-wah." That's what she calls Makayla.

It's Friday afternoon. Kids are laughing behind me and preparing for a round of Dutch Blitz. I've been invited to play, so I'm going to hit publish on this post and join them.

UPDATE: It is Friday night. By bedtime the rest of the kids and Mommy joined the ranks of those with fevers. This should be an interesting weekend.