Happy (cough, cough) New Year!

We were all excited about the prospect of bringing in a New Year – our first at Kenilworth!  We had plans for food and fun, videos and computer games!
Our excitement and anticipation looked something like this:
 

and this:

           
  and some of us were doing this!  (not me, though)
                
Luke was even warming up the guitar…
                 
But suddenly all our plans went caput!  The culprit?  Influenza. 
Glenn was the first to go down, followed by almost every child, one after another.
   

There have been fevers and back aches…   (but still smiles when I asked)

                 
headaches and coughing…and coughing…and coughing…
           
congestion and nasal drainage (doesn’t that sound nice?)
         
At this point, the only 2 left standing strong are Olivia and me. 

But no matter!  None of these things has kept the kids from having a good time anyway.  They have persevered and somehow found the inner strength to play video games as planned. 
     
And computer games have somehow been bearable, despite the fatigue of sleepless nights.
    
Although Glenn was in bed around 10:00 or so on New Year’s Eve – exhausted from the flu, Luke poured some ginger ale into 5 wine glasses and the 4 older kids and I celebrated and cheered when we watched the ball drop via Luke’s computer.
And despite the flu, we’ve been thankful.  Thankful for a warm, safe home.  Thankful for food in our pantry and milk in the fridge.  Thankful for time together playing games and reading to each other.  Thankful that God will heal us from the flu, unlike some other illnesses. 
It’s been a good reminder that “man plans his steps, but God directs his path”!  And His path is always better than our plans. 

Meanwhile…. I had to find something to do, right?!
So here’s a look at what I’ve been working on the past 2 days.

I should be finished today – and I’ll show you the results as soon as the polyurethane cures!
Happy New Year!