I Should Learn My Lesson...

...that God ALWAYS knows what He is doing.

When Eli finally caught the stomach bug that we had been praying against for weeks, I was so dissapointed in God. I thought that a stomach bug was the last thing Eli needed- he barely eats anything as it is, so I was sure that a virus like this one would land us in the hospital for sure. So I cleaned up the throw-up and changed the diapers and cried my eyes out because I didn't believe that what was happening was the best thing for my son. I was so dissapointed that my prayers were, seemingly, unanswered.

And then something strange happened. At the end of a day of vomitting everything he ate, after we packed our bags for the hospital, as we were attempting to feed Eli one last time before taking him to the ER, Eli reached for his bottle and put it in his mouth and drank the whole thing down.

I realize that that doesn't sound strange to most people. But listen to me when I say that Eli has never, ever been so receptive to a bottle. Modus operendum for him is to scream uncontrollably upon seeing a bottle and refuse to eat. We had resorted to waiting until he fell asleep and then feeding him a few ounces here and there. So the fact that he actually picked up the bottle and put it in his mouth was amazing to us. We thought it was just a one-time thing that resulted from dehydration and extreme hunger after a day with no food.

But then it continued... and it hasn't stopped. Our son, normally hyper-aversive to eating, heading straight for a feeding tube, is now eating almost double what he was eating before, happily and willingly.

What?!?

We went to see both our therapist and GI doctor last week, both of whom said that in some cases a stomach bug is exactly what an orally aversive child needs. It helps to "reset" the child's thinking about food, making them eager to eat instead of afraid of it. The therapist was thrilled with his progress. The GI doctor didn't even mention a feeding tube and said that she doesn't need to see him for another six weeks. We're out of the woods, so to speak.

And all due to a stomach virus that I vigilantly prayed against for weeks. The lesson? God always knows what he is doing! Even when it looks totally different than I expect, even when what is happening seems bad to me instead of good, even amidst my lack of faith... God always knows what He is doing! I need to learn this lesson, because it seems like I've been taught it a hundred times, only to forget it shortly thereafter. I am praying for a soft heart and for a mind that remembers this clear lesson that God taught to me through a stomach virus and my infant son. God always knows what He is doing!

P.S. Eric and I had a wonderful weekend away while my mom kept Eli! It was incredibly nice to be baby-free for a little while and just enjoy being together and doing some of our favorite things, like stay in a fancy hotel, see a great movie, eat out for all meals, go to a hockey game, and, most importantly, SLEEP!