The Crud...

It seems as if everyone in Oregon is sick. Church numbers are half what they normally are. Schools are missing a significant portion of the kids. We even had a few "hackers" in the temple last night. The Laing Household has been spared for the most part from this flu and cold season. For this, I am truly grateful. A few weeks ago, I had a stomach bug that lasted less than 24 hours and the girls got a touch of that, but nothing to send them running to the toilet. Alas...I must have my turn at least once this year. On Patrick's birthday, his 40th by the way, I took him to a great Thai place in Tigard called Pacific Breeze. I got there on time with Evan in tow. He wasn't feeling well all morning. I confess, I love it when some of my kids are sick...the cuddly ones, not the whiny ones. He was just a little lover all day. Well as I was waiting for Patrick to show up (he is always late) I got barfed on! Literally, all over my shirt. My nice pink wrap around. The little voice in my head told me to bring an extra shirt for the baby just in case he got sick...well I had no "voice" tell me to bring one for myself...not even a coat. Somehow I survived 3 hours wearing a vomit shirt...honestly it was just juice...nothing disgusting. Patrick arrived and gave me his coat and the baby sat in my lap while I fed him sticky rice and Coke. He didn't throw up again, but was just a cuddly happy boy. He slept the rest of the day and was fine by dinner time. So Crud, we dodged you! And even if I got vomited on, there were still fringe benefits from it. Way to look at the bright side of things!!! (For those of you who are interested in how to not have your kids get sick all the time, read "Last Child in The Woods". It explains that children exposed to the environment are actually less likely to get sick. There immune systems are bombarded by things that help it grow stronger. I was talking to the Jordans last night and they are all healthy...all 9 kids! They live in the boonies and there kids are outside with playing in the dirt everyday I suspect!! Here's to chicken poo and all the dirty mud puddles and dirty hands. Gotta love nature!)My sick baby and I at Pacific Breeze....