Fourth Annual Sick

Roughly eight years ago Craig and I got engaged. Within six months we married and bought a house. Within another year we moved to Georgia. Two years later we had Grace. Three years after that we had Julia. Eight years ago I could neither imagine living in Georgia nor having two girls, but here I am.

At the time, moving to Georgia seemed like a great adventure; a place to call home for a few years before we moved onto better horizons. We wore the distance from our families like a badge of independence. That is until we had kids. Even in the early days, after Grace's arrival, we patted ourselves for "doing it alone". Then came preschool and play dates and all the germs we could ever want. Every winter a new plague befalls our family: rotavirus, hand and mouth, the flu, pink eye, or your garden variety cold.

We've had a lot of sick over the last four years, and we're in another one now. Grace has an ear infection. Julia has a boogery cold. My eyes burn and water, and I know I'm losing the battle. I'll be the next one to fall prey. That badge of independence I was so happy to earn--I'm done with it. I have friends who live close to their parents or siblings, and they have a ready-made support system. I, on the other hand, have long distance telephone service. I know there can be negative consequences to living in proximity to extended family, but at this moment, as my throat clogs and a cough emerges, I would make the trade.