Flu Season, Courtesy of the Army

With Steve's instructor position, his schedule changes all the time. Unfortunately, while class is in session, he rarely gets a chance to go to church, and I usually end up going alone every week. (Which causes some confusion--people inviting me to "singles" small groups or Bible studies for women who want to evangelize to their spouse. I try to explain that he would actually like to be there, but can't.)

This past Sunday was one of the rare weeks that we were going to be able to attend church together, and we were both looking forward to it. Steve was scheduled to work all day on Saturday, and usually when he does that he gets in mid- to late morning the next day. This week, though, he knew he'd be home early, in time to go to church.

When he walked in at 6am Sunday morning, he said hello and even though I was half asleep I could tell something was wrong. He was either sick or hadn't slept all night. I asked him how he felt, and he shook his head. "I feel terrible," he said. 'I'm sick."

Steve hates being sick. He hates admitting he's sick--he always wants to tough it out without medicine or pity. So I knew he was really feeling awful when he allowed me to give him cold medicine.

When I checked on him a few hours later (20 minutes before we were supposed to leave for church), he still had a temperature of 101. Turns out that the Army decided he had to have a flu shot immediately before working for 24 hours straight. Luckily, he did have the rest of Sunday and Monday off, which he spent resting, recovering and not going to church.

As he went off to work this morning, he said he felt better. Not 100 percent, but better. I, on the other hand, woke up sneezing and coughing with a pounding headache.

Thanks a lot, Army.