cRaZy doesn't even come close!

The past month and a half or so has been the most hectic in my life!!! Don't get me wrong, it's been wonderful and my family has truly been able to see God and His blessings at work but the word crazy doesn't even describe what the past month and a half has been. It started on a Sunday right after church. Everyone was great. Ethan was playing and Bryce helped me clean the house. Joe went to the store to get a few things for us and Bryce came down the stairs. He said his belly was hurting and he felt like he was going to throw up. If you know me, you know that I am terrified of vomit. Most in part because if I see it, smell it or hear it, I become the sympathetic one and will throw up with you! The only person that can truly relate to me and really understand is my friend Angie. Everyone else just accepts it and tells me to get over it. I'm working on it. But that is neither here nor there. So, trying to be a good mommy I followed my sweet boy upstairs to his bathroom, where, yes, he began throwing up and yes, I stayed but was sitting on the end of his bed not looking at him and trying not to listen. About 30 minutes later, Ethan came upstairs and guess what! Yep! He started throwing up too. As I'm freaking out, Joe (who is absolutely amazing!) tells me to do whatever I needed to do. So, I took Maggie and we went down to Joe's parent's house. A few hours passed and we ended up taking the boys to the Egleston ER across from Emory downtown. Bryce threw up over 20 times and Ethan was around 10 or so. So, we went home and were doing pretty good for a couple of days. Then I got the stomach bug. We managed to get passed that. The Wednesday following the week of nastiness, Bryce came home from school complaining of a sore throat and running a fever. I took him to the doctor and he was diagnosed with strep throat. The doctor gave him an antibiotic. He was supposed to have had a total of 4 dosages by noon the next day but ONLY by the GRACE of GOD he only had 1! At noon Joe called me to the boys room. Bryce had a pretty bad rash all over his belly and bottom. I took him to the doctor (yes the next day!) and he said that Bryce was having an allergic reaction to the meds. So, change of plans...new meds and now benadryl. As the day progressed, Bryce's rash became worse and worse. It eventually got to the point of making Bryce's lips turn blue as well as his fingernails and toenails. So, I took him to the CHOA clinic on Mt. Zion. They said it was still the allergic reaction and gave him an oral steroid. This was a Thursday. We came home thinking our troubles were over and we were on our way to healthy children. On Friday I went on an overnight ladies retreat with our Sunday school department. I had such an amazing time and most importantly regained a strong desire for God and His word. As I was on my way home I called Joe to let him know where I was. I called his cell phone thinking he would be at work. To my surprise, he was at our house. I asked him why he was at home. He said that he had to come home because our home alarm had sounded and our security company had called out the police. Apparently, someone tried to get into our home through our front door at 11:28AM! BROAD DAYLIGHT! Then his exact words after telling me about our home was this "that's not all!" He then told me that someone broke his store's drive thru window, crawled through and walked around, probably looking for money. The boys were at his mom's already but he had Maggie. So at 1:30AM he had to take our daughter to his store where someone broke into. Then he said these exact words "that's not all!" At this point I'm wondering what is happening. I've had an amazing spiritual night and Satan instantly starts attacking me as soon as I got off the grounds of our stay. So, I asked what else was going on. He then said that Bryce had started throwing up again. I just couldn't believe it. I honestly thought I was in a bad dream. I knew I had some things to get off of my chest that I had been holding on to. I wasn't me. I was hiding behind a mask trying to pretend like it would all go away. Was God punishing me because I had not confessed my sins to Him? I asked Him for forgiveness but was that not good enough? Or was Satan trying to make me believe that he is more powerful than God. Oh Lord! Help me! Well...I came home and Joe ended up having to take me to an urgent care facility. I couldn't breathe. My heart was skipping beats and my breathing was, well becoming almost non existent. I was having an asthma attack as well as an anxiety attack. We ended up staying the night with my parents. Ethan and Maggie was with us while my mother in law took care of Bryce. To make this so long story somewhat short, Bryce ended up going to the doctor a total of 6 times in 7 days. They finally did blood work and he had a virus. I'm thinking it was the flu but we're not certain. Joe and I got on our knees and had a very intimate prayer time with our wonderful Father in Heaven. Things got better and praise the Lord, even through the storm we were able to see God at work. No one was home when our home was (almost) broken into. All the money was in a safe at Joe's store and no one else got what Bryce had. God wasn't punishing me. I asked for it. I asked Him to help me be a better mom and a better wife. Joe and I needed our intimate prayer time. We ALWAYS need God. And, remember how I said I was terrified of vomit? I actually stayed in the room and watched Bryce as he threw up in a bucket. I even took the bucket away and put it on the floor. I couldn't pour it into the toilet because it would've made me sick (baby steps here!) God is always so faithful even when we're not. We managed to come out of our sicknesses and fires as we called it. However, sadly, we said goodbye just yesterday to Joe's aunt Jenny. She had cancer and went to be with Jesus on April 2. She and her husband exhibited a love for each other that was clearly evident to everyone they came in contact with. There was never a question about their love for each other. They were truly a testimony to any marriage, especially mine. Their love only makes me want to love Joe more, and I really love my husband. I know this was a lot and I shouldn't wait so long to update but like I said...cRaZy doesn't even come close but God is still God and His word stands strong. I am so thankful for His love and His forgiveness.