I wish I were kidding. There have been rivers of snot flowing out of all the tiny faces in our home this week. Chap came down with it last week, and Oliver got hit hard on Saturday evening. We are also waging war on an ear infection and my counter top looks like a pharmacy between the toddler meds and the baby meds and the amoxicillin and the Vitamin C fizzy packets and the medicine cups and the medicine syringes.

Thank goodness for Zarbees Cough and Cold.

And Boogie Wipes.

And kleenex.

And whatever is close at hand when Oliver walks into the room with snot pouring down his face.

I'm sorry that I wiped your nose with a pair of your underwear, buddy.

More than once.

They were clean.

I think.

I was telling Matt a few days ago that it feels like we are one major illness away from a crisis while we are living away from family. It's a little intimidating, living this far away from our main support system.

I am forever grateful for the friends who make up our family out here.

This week it was a friend who made an emergency run for Infant Ibuprofen & Chocolate... and The Little Mermaid when we maxed ourselves out with a trip to Urgent Care and the pharmacy. I had just walked through the door, with both boys who were now howling for naps. Milo had already had Tylenol and was still screaming in pain, and I opened the bottle of Baby Advil and it was empty. I nearly joined the tear fest myself... because the thought of putting the shoes and the seat belts back on these snotty, sad, screaming people was more than any of us could take. And our friend stepped in and saved the day.

Yesterday, it was a friend, with her toddler in tow, who decided we were worth the risk. And although the plan was to grab something she was borrowing and get on her way and despite my warnings... they stayed and played. And can I just tell you-- that after not leaving the house in nearly a week-- having someone pop over and read a story to my toddler was basically amazing and more than I deserve. And it didn't matter that my living room rug was basically a pile of toys and my kitchen sink was still filled with breakfast dishes.

And this morning, it was sweet friends who Facetimed with me, when I couldn't join our normal gathering for the second week in a row. And we prayed, and laughed and talked about Jesus' heart for motherhood and our children and our families. And I was able to look into a friend's living room, and be there, without being there. And it filled me up.

And it's my sweet husband, who is working 14 hour days this week, wrapping me up before he leaves for work and praying over me and our boys. My husband, who knows that being patient and present in the middle of so much snot is a daunting task and that I need Jesus in our home, to make it through the day.

And it's Jesus' voice promising that His grace is sufficient... and that His power is perfected in my weakness. And that He's here, in our home, amidst the kleenexes and boogie wipes and medicine cups and so much snot.

Amidst So Much Snot