Oh Raleigh..........

So, you'd think when you've known a person for 6 1/2 years, you'd have a pretty firm grasp on who they are. You are aware of most of their habits and idiosyncrasies. And they do very little to shock you. But every once in a while that person will do something that will make you say... "hum.... I did not know that about you. And I am not sure how I feel about it. And it probably should NEVER happen again."

Sunday morning, Raleigh woke up with the stomach flu. And it was a pretty good case too. And most normal people would lay in their bed for 24 hours and maybe moan and groan a little and make a few mad dashes to the bathroom and maybe ask their loving wife (who would literally go and get the moon if she was asked) to go to the store and pick up some sprite or some chicken broth and then feel much better in the morning and move on with life.

But then there's Raleigh. Raleigh.... who is very rarely seen without his "rose colored glasses," who 100% of the time sees the goodness life has to offer, who's glass is always at least half full apparently views illness with the same cock eyed optimism. He's not going to let the fact that he is projectile vomiting keep him down.... NO SIR. Laying in bed, feeling sick, all by himself is simply not an option for him...

He calls me in to the germ fest otherwise known as our bedroom to sit by him and watch the Colts get slaughtered and massage his back (which don't get me wrong, I'd do anything he asked of me, because he asked it of me) but that is asking A LOT.

Then he gets up and walks around and breathes on the children. Gets in a tickling match with Allie. Goes for a drive with Brayden. Plays with the baby. Looks up fun facts online with Morgan. And jokes around with everyone about how sick he is and how fabulous the latest puking session was. Then at 4:00 pm, jumps into the shower and gets ready to go the Family Sunday Dinner. (You know, so he can happily infect all of those innocent people).

I love him more than life itself....... but for crying out loud.......... does anyone wanna take a guess what I've been up to for the past 4 days???

YEP.... you guessed it. Cleaning up throw up, scrubbing and plunging all three toilets. Listening to weepings and wailings coming from little children voices in the basement. Running up and down the stairs with my most compassionate face on and my nose and mouth buried deeply in my shirt. Patting the children on their sick and burning up heads. All the while, praying with the utmost fervency that this plague will somehow escape ME. Because I have tried, but cannot come up with anything worse than having the flu while the world's most wiggly baby turns circles inside me.

Well, there is very little that I'd change about this boy that I have the pleasure to be wed to.... but I swear on my life the next time I hear a sniffle or a cough or see the slightest sign of him not being in perfect health, I promise you, I will hire a very large muscled man to carry him to the furthermost room from the family and lock him away until every last little germ has passed from his body because to put it plainly......THIS SUCKS!!!!!!

I love you, Hotstuff.

You know I do.