Dancing in the Rain

I've always heard the saying, "Life is not about waiting out the storm but learning to dance in the rain". We're trying to learn to dance in the rain.
For obvious reasons we've been a little "out of sorts" at our house this past week. With Rhett just not feeling well and taking up nearly every ounce of my energy I feel that my two bigger boys have gone a little neglected. A couple of weeks ago their dad bought them each an umbrella. I've never known them to be so excited about anything! They carried them around and prayed for rain so they'd be able to use their new umbrellas (and used them for sword fights until the rain came. Can't let them go unused, you know!)
And then last week the rain came (both literally and figuratively). Most people dread rainy days but my boys looked to it with promise. It was an opportunity to try something new. An opportunity to use these bright new umbrellas to their full potential. I wish I faced "rainy days" with such optimism. Anyone ever notice how wise our children are and how much we can learn if we just listen and pay attention?
So, when the rain came and they begged to go out I gladly obliged. I watched them forever. Rhett sitting in my lap. I watched my two big boys walk around on the patio holding those prized $3 umbrellas looking at the rain with such delight. It was pure happiness I tell you. For both them and me. I thought then about that saying and knew that somehow I have to learn to dance through this time of rain.
It's hard not knowing what to do for a little one who is feeling so rotten. Those eyes just look at you like you're not doing all you can for them. I wish I could fix it with a brand new umbrella. But this is just not so easy to fix.
After the lows of how Rhett felt in general last week there seemed to be some improvements yesterday. He actually had a good day all day long which hadn't happened since before our first trip to the doctor. He was happy, he played, he squealed, he sang. So much, in fact, that I had a difficult time getting him to go to bed last night. He watched Dancing with the Stars with me and my mom and clapped and squealed and jabbered after every dance. I'm not sure if he was critiquing or what! :)
However, around 1:00 am this morning he was up crying, screaming, congested, coughing, yucky! He was up off and on for the biggest part of the night. It appears he's not much better this morning. We're hopeful that this has nothing to do with the blood counts and this is just a mere yucky cold. (Not that we want him to have a cold--we just don't want it to be an indication of issues with his blood counts--and I'm not even sure that's possible anyway.) We're just ready for him to feel better and be back to his normal self. I miss that little sparkle in his eyes--even if he is up to mischief half the time. ;)
Thank you all for your sweet comments over the past week. For your offers to fix meals. For your offers to watch the older boys. You all are such blessings to us. Please continue to keep him in your prayers and I'll update with results hopefully Thursday night. In the meantime, remember to dance in the rain when you have the chance, or at the very least, watch someone else who is dancing in the rain. You won't be sorry.