Sickness = Blessing?

Today is Wednesday and the first day I went to school this week. Long story short, I woke up Sunday morning (and most of Saturday night) coughing, not able to breathe, congested sinuses... you know. I felt horrible Sunday, went to the doctor (with the assistance of a dear friend), got some meds, had serious asthma issues going on, took 2 days off from school, and still feel crummy. But in all of this, I try to look for the bright side of things, so here we go. The blessings of sickness:

1. Time spent with my mom. Yes. My amazing momma drove down Sunday morning to take care of me and help me get things ready at school for the week. I couldn't have done it without her. And having company when you're sick just makes it so much more bearable.

2. Sleep. 99% of my sicknesses fall on a weekend. Seems to be when my body just crashes and knows that I need a break. I was able to sleep a lot, which I desperately needed.

3. Reading. I hardly ever read. Period. I know, I know. I'm a teacher. I teach reading. I should read all the time. I used to, but I like filling my time with other things besides reading. I started a book over Christmas break, and guess what? I finished it yesterday! haha It was soooo good! I can't believe I took 27 years (ok, more like 9 or so) to read Redeeming Love. Amazing. I might do a book review/blog post with more details later.

4. Thankful heart. I take for granted the luxuries I have in this life. I got sick. I have insurance. I can see a doctor. I can get medicine. Yes, it's an inconvenience and costs money, but I have the means, freedom and accessibility to health care. I'm so thankful!

5. Small reminders. I missed 2 days of school. Today I asked my kiddos to tell me something that happened while I was gone or share some surprising news. They all took a turn and I had about 5 kiddos left to answer. One of my /favorites/ just said "I missed you. That's all." Broke my heart. I love that kid. I got more hugs and notes today than ever.

Yes, even good can come out of being an asthmatic. What a blessing!