And a Partridge in a Pear Tree

Christmas Eve 2007 my family had been asked to light the advent candles for Christmas Eve Service and Kat had been asked to read the scripture. Since Christmas Eve fell on a weekday that year I had to work that morning. The plan was I would meet Kat and the family at church around 5pm.

When I left for work Kathleen already did not have a voice. So I was planning on pitch hitting the reading for her and she and the boys could light candles. Midmorning I got a text from Kat that Matthew did not feel so great and she was concerned about him being sick. We agreed to watch and see.

By 3pm he was full on sick and Paul was starting to feel puny as well. I called Kristin Rogers the childrens minister at the church and asked “what do I have to do to get my family off the hook for tonight?” because it was looking like I was going to be there by myself. She suggested I ask my in-laws to stand in for us since they were already participating in the service. Which of course they did.

When I got home both boys were bundled up and looking sick as they lay on the couches in the living room. Clearly this was not going to be our traditional Christmas eve. Matthew fell asleep around 6pm and was fast and hard asleep. I carried him to his room and put him to bed. Paul was feverish on the couch but not sleepy. We turned off the lights and watched Christmas in Connecticut on the TV. When the movie was ¾ the way over it started. The vomiting. And not just a little bit, or the running to the bathroom with his hands over his mouth kind either. I am talking full on projectile vomiting in vivid color. Let me say both of my boys usually are pretty good if they have to throw up. They are minimal mess, very little drama. But not this night. From the couch to half way across the living room rug.

So being the good papa I am, I cleaned the mess and got him comfortable again, and put the TV on Unaccompanied minors. Pretty soon he was sound asleep. Then Matthew woke up after a 5 hour nap. He was hungry so Kat made him some noodle soup and he watched the movie for a while with us. Then he took his turn with the scary vomiting. All over the couch, his Christmas pajamas and his mother. Did I mention that Kat really really hates the sight and smell of vomit?

So I cleaned up from that too. Finally we got him settled and he watched the rest of the movie and fell back to sleep on the couch. When you look at pictures of the boys on Christmas morning it is pathetic, they look awful. I told Kat that it would always be remembered as the year of projectile vomiting.

But lo and behold, when you ask the boys about Christmas Eve, they almost always say “remember the year we stayed home and watched movies and just had soup? That was a good time!”

My response to that is “who knew?” Kat just shakes her head, gives that look and says “BOYS!”