We have been dealing with Allergies this week. I am ill equipped in terms of medication or anything of that nature, but we have been praying a lot and the boys are showing great attitudes despite their discomfort.

Owen was the first to show symptoms. His red puffy eyes were heartbreaking. We had seen this in him before but it wasn't common and usually involved him playing around old mulch.

Then it was Aron's turn. With him it was just a constant runny nose and a cough. Until Monday when it turned into an all out assault on every area of his little face.

That picture is from last night after church. We had taken him to his class and he didn't look quite this bad. I asked them to please keep him inside, which they did, but he still got worse. The air is just BAD in Tennessee right now.

Ivan has had his own share of allergic reactions but his were different. He was attacked by a large mosquito that left him with a good size welt on his forehead. The offending mosquito must have been killed moments after the affront because when he came to me the "poor" creature was still sticking to his cheek where he had swatted it. His own blood still smeared under his eye made his battle look even more severe. Typically an insect bite will swell a bit and then go down overnight but this time Ivan's forehead swelled about a half inch out from it's normal position. He looked a little deformed that next morning. I kept an eye on it and got a little worried when the next morning (yesterday) it was still quite large, possibly larger. By yesterday afternoon it was starting to lessen and by evening it was almost unnoticeable. Of course we can't be done with things though. He woke up with red itchy eyes this morning. His don't seem nearly as bad as his brothers and I'm counting on this being isolated for him.

So...I'm learning some things...and praying for weather changes. I heard that our very cold winter is at fault. Apparently it encouraged everything to bloom at the same time concentrating all the pollen and allergens as they meet our innocent faces.

This too shall pass.

I am just so thankful. Thankful that my boys don't complain a lot. Thankful that I can be encouraged that this is temporary. Thankful that my God whispers things to me in the middle of the night when all I want to do is cry over my pitiful little boys and says, "I've got this."

Sigh. I'm so glad He has this. I'm so glad He has it all.