My girls are sick.

Katie has fever and a nasty, croup like, seal cough.  Sarah has fever and diarrhea, and poor Megan has fever and a productive runny nose and cough.  All on a day when they have school, I have work, and we all need to get out of this house.

I was up all night.  Megan could not sleep and was, literally, up, standing in her crib past 1am.  I would get her, rock her, think I had her to sleep, put her down, only to be greeted with a screaming baby a few seconds later.  Katie was up many times.  Alternating sweating and coughing kept her from any healing sleep.  Motrin did not even make a dent.

Sarah, once asleep, woke her standard two times asking for milk.

Needless to say, I am beyond exhausted, frustrated, and feeling guilty for not having more energy to tend to my 3 sick little girls.

I have to get these girls well so I made a plan.  A solid plan.  One that was no fail, spoiling, and perfect.  One that would give us all a low – key, relaxing, healing day.

Movie day!

Perfect, right?

I collected the family favorites; Cinderella, Pinocchio, The Letter Factory, Sword and the Stone and prepare to wow my girls with a rare day in front of the tube!   I will get so much done, despite my tiredness.  I’ll do laundry, wash the rugs, get the kid’s rooms organized!  Oh, what a day it will be, despite the sickies!

Yea…  it’s like I am new at this.

No one wants to watch movies.  No one wants to catch up on the sleep they so desperately lack from last night.

They just want Mommy.  And milk.  But mostly Mommy.

So I sit, one child on my left, one on my right, and a sleepy baby on my lap, balanced precariously as I have both arms busy snuggling my other two.  We sit, watching miner after miner for the Chilean Mine Collapse emerge to a happy family, rousing cheers, and genuine tears of relief.  My girls don’t understand what they are watching, but seem mesmerized anyway.

I don’t know how long we sat there.  But it was the best part of this day.  Proof that lemonade can be made of lemons.

My house may not get cleaned, the laundry may pile up for another day, and the kids carpet may never been seen again, but it is OK.

Because on this day of great miracles, my three just need Mommy.