I thought we kicked the sickness. I was so hopeful. Swee’s fever was gone, and so was her congestion. J felt normal. Beanie was her usual happy self. Until she woke up today. Our littlest one spent the entire day in someone’s arms, drifting in and out of sleep. It was difficult for us all – for Beanie, of course, but also for J and I to watch her and worry, and for Swee to alternate between attentive sister and noise-making preschooler.

After today, I’m tired. I’m tired of being hopeful, and perhaps that’s the lesson here: to just. slow. down. Everything will run its course, sickness included. Because of course these spring colds aren’t the only things keeping us down and there’s always something else to work through, some setback forcing you to dust yourself off and reevaluate. Adulting is hard.

So I have houseplants. And tea. And oils. And an early bedtime. We will focus on the simple things until the complicated ones work themselves out.