It Started with a Phone Call .... or .... Giving and Receiving

Wednesday morning I got a phone call from my friend, Brandy. She was crying. She was sooo sick, her hubby had worked nights and was sound asleep, her baby, Abby, needed a diaper change and Brandy couldn't even lift her and she needed gingerale. I got to her place as soon as I could delivering gingerale, getting Abby cleaned up and fed and ready for an afternoon nap and waited until Jason had showered and was ready for the "afternoon shift". When Jason went back to work that evening I went and spent several hours with Brandy looking after Abby, tidying up, emptying the dishwasher and loading it, fluffing Brandy's pillows and tidying her bed, feeding supper to Abby, bathing her and getting her ready for bed. I left after Abby was tucked into bed and Brandy was ready for bed. I was glad to help ...

Over two years ago now, I spent 7 weeks in bed and I had friends who came and helped the entire time. Friends from church and my homeschooling group delivered meals for my family, offered to taxi my kids back and forth to events, and even brought one daughter a new swimsuit when they noticed hers was getting thin at swimming lessons. One friend from church delivered a whole box of movies for me to watch while I was laying in bed! Many friends came by or e-mailed that they were praying for me. So many researched and offered solutions to my health problems and many of them worked. One friend connected me to an Osteopath who was vital in my recovery.

So, when I had the opportunity to give back to a friend in need, I was glad to do it. What I didn't plan on was that the flu is the gift that KEEPS giving!! (Just for the record, this isn't the first time I've helped a friend in over 2 years, but it's current so I decided to blog about it!)

Andrew and I both invited folks to our house last night ... two different families who had never met each other. When I realized it and tried to get one to come a different night, it wasn't possible. So, they all arrived here for the afternoon and evening yesterday.

Problem was, I woke up in the morning knowing I was getting sick!! I wasn't sick enough to cancel ... until they were in the driveway and I was in the bathroom!! YIKES. Too late. Thankfully, I have wonderful friends who helped get supper ready and one husband even barbequed the burgers because by late afternoon, Andrew was also starting to feel sick.

By bedtime I was feeling a lot better, but my poor hubby was as sick as a dog. He was sick all night long and has been snoozing on the sofa all morning. He was supposed to sing at a funeral this morning, but had to cancel.

So, I've learned ... the flu is the gift that keeps on giving!!! My advice ... try not to get it!

PS. not for one minute do I regret helping a friend in need. It was a joy to do it and I'd do it again in a heartbeat!