Well, I basically failed on this year’s Five for February because I was sick for almost an entire month. First I caught Nathan’s stomach thing, then Matthew and Juliet got Flu A simultaneously and two days later Neil and I both became very, very, very sick...then once we were finally over the flu, norovirus ripped through our family and I spent a couple of days heartily wishing I could just be unconscious until I was well again but I had to grade midterms in between bouts of vomiting. Honestly, February is basically the worst every year (but it did finally motivate me to make an appointment with a couple of specialists to sort out once and for all why my immune system is continually dampened). A decade or so someone commented on my blog (anonymously) about how much my children get sick, and every time since that someone’s been sick I’ve had to consciously tell myself that it is NOT because I am a bad mother (and then I take a deep draw of my lil’ friend albuterol). But gosh that one comment haunts me, especially as my children get older and I worry that they will look back on their childhood and just think how much time I spent in bed being sick.

Tonight I listened to the funeral service of my friend’s son. I’m sure I’ve written about him on the blog at some point, but he battled cancer for 8 years and died last week (he was just a few months older than Luke). My heart has been aching for them this week. Nathan’s teacher was diagnosed with cancer yesterday; I’ve had a number of friends lately who are leaving their marriages or the church. The election stuff is ramping up; everyone’s terrified about coronavirus. Life just seems really full lately of the hard things for a lot of people I love dearly.

But spring is coming, and I don’t know that I’ve ever appreciated it more. No matter how dark and awful the winter of our discontent, the sun will come. And thank heavens I can still run even if I have to pause for coughing breaks!!!!