When the going gets tough?

Proof that spring does arrive in this town!

When the going gets tough, what do you do? How do you cope?

We're in the middle of another test, or rough time. Mirabel is sick AGAIN, probably because I had to keep taking her to the doctor the last few weeks for a cough from her last cold that wouldn't go away. Both Jose and I have asthma, and it seemed like an asthmatic cough to me. She would wake up every night coughing and coughing for a month straight. On the last visit, the doctor gave her a nebulizer, but it scares her. She hates the noise and freaks out when she just sees the mask.

She's sick again and the cough is even worse. Multiple times a day we have to take her into the bathroom, turn on the shower, and hope the steam helps some.

Right before she got sick, she wasn't sleeping well. As in, waking up about 10 times a night. When she's officially sick, she really doesn't sleep at all. My immune system doesn't operate very well when sleep-deprived, so now I'm getting sick for the 5th time in less than a year.

To top it off, the weather is horrendous. We've been told Boston has never been this bad. We live in one of the oldest parts of the city, and it seems they aren't prepared to deal with these conditions (they meaning the electric company). We had another power outage during the last storm. We're expected to get hit with yet another snow storm this week, so we are preparing for another power outage.

We also haven't gone outside in days. We tend to lock ourselves indoors when the weather is this bad. It hit the negative temps yesterday, so the weather really isn't suitable for taking a brisk walk.

I hate that I'm complaining about it, but I don't like keeping stuff bottled up either. I feel exhausted, emotionally and physically. We haven't seen family in months, and we only have each other to get by (as in, Jose has me and I have him). Poor Mirabel is also becoming more sad. She's been whining non-stop these past couple of feverish days, I couldn't even put her down to use the restroom yesterday morning.

When the going gets tough, I pray. Sometimes it's just a really simple "God, help me, " but sometimes that's enough for a boost. Right now I'm sitting under a blanket on the living room foor, waiting for the doctor to return my call while I'm surrounded by dirty plates left over from a hearty breakfast. It's times like these when even dirty dishes become something to be thankful for. Thank God I have nutritious food to eat for breakfast. Thank God for this warm blanket, for the sweater I'm wearing, that the baby is sleeping peacefully, that I have a doctor who personally takes the time to call me back. Thank God that winter is only a few months long. Thank God that he set up the seasons so that spring follows winter. Boston winters might be brutal, but the spring is more beautiful here than anywhere else.

If I force myself (yes, sometimes it requires FORCING) to focus on, or document a list of, the positive, it inevitably leads to an attitude change.