{insert maniacal laughter here}

A month or so ago I read an article in the Ensign about a mother who was having a hard time with her two-year-old throwing fits.  She mentioned that she asked for an added measure of patience and then shared the wonderful results.  Since I am having an issue with a fit thrower, I thought, "I should pray for that, too!"

{Here's where there should be angelic maniacal laughter.}

I'm positive that Heaven has a sense of humor.  I'm even more positive that they love special requests.  It must be so fun to come up with challenges to make sure the person is satisfied with the answer/gift/blessing they've asked for.

I did indeed feel my patience being tried.  And I also felt the divine help I'd asked for.  I even woke up one morning to three grumpy kids and a crying baby and the emergency test signal "this is a test, this is only a test" kept running through my head.  A helpful little reminder, you know.

Well, after a few weeks of reminders, apparently it was time for the real test.

{enter a cold}

Hyrum got sick. It wasn't too bad.  A day of sitting on the couch with a video game controller seemed to to a lot of good.

Then Jonah got sick.  Oh mercy.  Everything you could imagine with a cold, he got.  Including the ever lovely double ear infection.  I don't want to go into the disgusting specifics.

Then James got sick.  Oh, yeah.  Another ear infection.  The best part of having two sick littles is that the only time one sleeps is when the other is awake.  I'll let you figure that one out.

Then Sterling got sick.  Really just a little sore throat and some PND that made him cough in the morning, but since we already had two round of antibiotics going, I figured I should have him checked for strep.  Fortunately he was clear, but still in pain.  A day of sitting on the couch with a video game controller seemed to to a lot of good.  Amazing how that works!

Then Jonah got sick.  Again.  All the same as before, but worse, if that is possible.  Possible pink eye and sinus infection.  Stronger antibiotics, here we come!

Then Hyrum got sick, again.  Still not too bad.  Oh, yeah, James woke up all congested the same day.  The day after his antibiotics were over.  And I woke up feeling snotty and with a bit of a sore throat.  And I was out of toilet paper.  That was Monday.

This has been the last four weeks of my life.

But let me tell you, it has been the most peaceful four weeks we've had in a long time.  That divine intervention I asked for has been with me every step of the way.  On days when I really shouldn't even be able to function for lack of sleep, I've made it through just fine.  Yes, my house looks much worse for the wear, there have been many mornings where there is a hunt for clean clothes to wear, and dinner has been sub par, but there has not been anger or frustration.  Well, at least not outward displays of it.  Last night I did about lose it when no one was in bed at 8:30, but I was gently reminded that yelling would only make everyone go to bed with hurt and sadness.  I'm so grateful for those little reminders.

But the moral of the story is, don't pray for patience!