Disaster Strikes!

Picture this, Nat and I had a wonderful evening planned with the kids. We had just finished a delicious pizza meal made by Agnes and afterward Lily and her friend Kaylee had done a little concert, singing & dancing for everyone in the home. Totally tranquil.

Then Lily started complaining that she had a headache, but not just any headache, this one was the headache of the century! Historians would be talking about this headache! She really played it up, or so I thought. At first I thought that she was just being dramatic (as she usually is) because she wanted some attention. I figured that new baby is stealing most of her thunder so it's only natural.

So anyways, I thought she had a headache but that she was majorly playing it up with her usual weeping and convulsive fits (if you knew Lily well, you would know exactly the kind of fits I am talking about). I must admit that I was being quite insensitive about the whole thing, telling her to calm down and quit the drama and just get to bed. I helped her brush her teeth through more weeping and fits and then I carried her to our bed. I joked with her a bit and asked her "Do you feel like throwing up? Cuz if you do, don't throw up on our blanket" and I kinda chuckled then turned around to search for some bucket or bag that she could have on hand just in case she really wasn't feeling all that well. And that is when all the fun started!

I no sooner turned around when I heard that all too familiar sound (a child vomiting on your freshly washed blanket!) I was horrified! I quickly ran to her and tried to catch some of it so it wouldn't fall on our blanket (too late!) and I rushed her to the bathroom. I was like, "You told me that you didn't feel like throwing up!" and she was like "I didn't have to when you asked me" and then "Ow my head hurts" and so on. Nat was in the other room telling me to calm down and saying, "Don't worry, I will wash the blanket" and telling me not to be mad at Lily cuz she didn't feel well, etc.

I, the "clean-freak" was inconsolable. I thought to myself, "Don't worry Chris, you just have to clean up the vomit that is on the bed, her clothes, the sink, etc, etc. It's not too bad". So, I got Lil all cleaned up started filling up the sink to soak her clothes and carried her to bed. I then felt quite bad for having been a jerk to her and not believing her in the first place so I apologized to her and hung out with her for a while and prayed with her for the night. I called Nat in to say good night to her and so she could see that I wasn't a cruel dad and that I was spending time with my sick daughter and apologizing.

Then I told Nat "I am going to finish washing Lily's clothes and take a shower". I was not prepared for what I saw next; the sink that was previously filled with vomit and lily's clothes, was overflowing (with the water that I forgot to turn off) and it had flooded the bathroom and was spilling into our room! I was panicking! I franticly turned off the water and searched for a rag and a bucket. Then I started the tedious task of mopping up the water and vomit off the floor and had to disinfect everything. "What an exciting night" I thought to myself.

And then I realized how ironic the whole situation had been and that the Lord had surely allowed it for a myriad of reasons. One of the lessons I had picked out from it was that I should believe it when my kid is freaking out that her head hurts, and second, not to put my kid that has the unbelievable head pain on my side of the bed.

I also learned to have compassion and to have a sense of humor. Nat and I had a good laugh when I finished cleaning everything up. So, goodnight!