So Blessed

I've been reading a friends blog today and realized how blessed I am.

I don't know why. I am a horrid sinner deserving everything she's going through. And yet, here I sit, blessed beyond belief.

I've been mostly crying as I read her posts. Why? She was 2 days from having a C-section to welcome her 3rd child, 1st boy, into her family when her baby died. She had to deliver a still-born baby. 2 days before he was to be born.

I am tortured for her. I cannot begin to imagine the grief she has gone and continues to go through. I feel empty inside. Why do these things happen? Yes, I know because of sin. Yes, I know we are all sinners, even babies. But I don't understand and it leaves me shaken in my faith.

That's where I am today. Feeling empty and wondering why. And at the same time marveling at God's love and grace.

It's hard work.

Homeschooling is hard. Whether you have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more children, it is hard. Anyone who says otherwise is a big, fat liar.

There are days I wistfully watch the schoolbus pulling away with our neighbors children and think, wouldn't it be easy to just let my kiddos join their friends? Yes it would. Then I could have a clean house. I could have everyone's drawers full of clean clothes. I could have time to make homemade bread and each meal from scratch. I know there are homeschool moms who can do all this. I am not one of them. I am not superwoman.

But I also know I don't want my 4th grader knowing about the birds and the bees, not just yet anyway. I don't want my kids coming home with language usually heard at bars. I don't want my children learning information to spit back out for a test only to forget it the next day after they've achieved an "A".

I love being with my kids. They are awesome. The things they come up with, whether it be legos or a drawing of a lion, it's incredible. But it is hard work. And it's the most rewarding work I've ever done or ever will do.

Seriously

It is 8:50 pm and Madison has just finished school today. We started at 10 am.

So over it.

So tired.

So ready for bed.

So don't want to do it again tomorrow.

So need to pray and ask God to forgive me for my rotten heart.

So thankful He will.

Homeschool Song

Sing this to the tune "I Will Survive"...

First I was afraid
I was petrified.
Kept thinking I could never teach
'Cause I'm not certified.
But we spent so many nights
Reteaching homework that was wrong.
I grew strong,
So now I teach my kids at home!

We study math
And outer space.
I just kept on despite the fear
With a big smile across my face.
I bought a set of Base Ten blocks.
I bought books with answer keys.
My parents think we're nuts,
But they don't even bother me.

Come on, let' s go,
Walk out the door.
We're on the road now,
'Cause we're not home much anymore .
My friends would laugh and say we'd be unsocialized.
I heard one mumble
That I'd give up by July.

Oh no, not I!
I will survive!
As long as I know how to read
I know we'll be alright.
I've got all my life to learn.
I've got energy to burn.
And I'll survive.
I will survive.

It took all the strength I had
Not to fall apart.
Decided to attend
A play date at the local park,
And I met oh so many moms
Who offered eagerly to help.
They used to cry.
Now they hold their heads up high,

And so do we!
My kids are cool!
They're not those chained up little people
Stuck inside at school.
So if you feel like dropping by
And just expect us to be free
You'd better call ahead first
'Cause we're probably busy!

Growing Pains

I was crying in the dressing room at Target today. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I'm not ashamed to admit that I had to control myself so I didn't disolve into a dripping sobbing mess. Or that it took a minute before my eyes were no longer red and I could leave the dressing room and allow other patrons to try on their potential purchases.

I could have been trying on a new pair of pants, a cute shirt, or (gasp) a bathing suit, and been shocked by how tightly my "old" size now fits. I only wish that were true!

Nope. I was crying because my BABY is now wearing a bra. A BRA PEOPLE!!! All you mothers of younger daughters take note. It's a tearful time. And yes, she was SOOO embarressed by me! Thank you very much!

Tell me it ain't so...

...that my daughter is "in love" with a rock star!

We're watching the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus Best of Both Worlds 3D Concert on TV tonight. I'm shocked that she knows the words to EVERY song and is singing at the top of her voice. It's cute. Even if you can't really tell it's 3D with the cheap-o glasses she got free at Wally-Mart tonight with her Daddy.

Then (and this is where the world stands still) the JONAS BROTHERS come out!!! I think I've lost a little bit of my hearing what with her screaming unintelligable sounds of glee. Anyway, she's singing right along with them too, getting EVERY word...she doesn't have any of their music, so how she is able to accomplish this I have no idea. So, she's extremely happy and every so often gives little screams of delight. Then she and Marshall...who also has lost a little bit of his hearing...have this conversation:

Mad: There's Nick...I LOVE HIM!!

Mars: How can you love him? He's like 16.

Mad: He's only like 13.

Mars: Yeah, and you're what, 9?

Mad: So? That's only 4 years older. Daddy's 4 years older than Mommy and they love each other.

Mars: Yeah, but he doesn't know you.

Mad: Well that's a problem. I LOVE HIM!!! He's soooooo cute!!

Mars: (pauses for a moment) And to think you used to love Barney!

She's 9 going on 19...help me! Oh, and did I mention that ANY time she sees him on TV or any picture of him she wants me to confirm that he is TOTALLY CUTE AND ADORABLE?!

Kittens, kittens everywhere!!

I'm horrible at this blogging thing. I just can't seem to keep it going. It's not for lack of things to blog about. With 5 children I have WAY too much to blog about. I think maybe I'm intimidated by my blogger friends who seem to be able to effortlessly blog each and every day...some more than once a day...you know who you are Karen!! ;-)

Anyway, our cat had 5 kittens a few weeks ago and they are the most adorable things!! They are sweet and playful and I could eat up each and every one of them! They're still too little to leave their mama, but 2 are going next door to live (which makes Madison very happy that she can see them whenever she wants!!) and we are keeping 1. That leaves 2 more in need of a home. I've talked to some people and John even tried to give one as a 1st birthday present to Baby Kate. Her mommy...you know who you are Karen!!...said no.

Oh, and here's something almost unbelievable. There are alot of cats in the world, yes? Well, then why is it that 95% of the people I have talked to about getting a kitten say they are allergic? I find that statistically impossible. Some have even said "deathly allergic". I think they'd already be dead if they were truly deathly allergic. Cats are everywhere. And some of these "allergic people" have been in my house and (*gasp*!) touched our cats. Yet they continue to live. And those who didn't say deathly allergic didn't even sniffle or have their eyes water.

Things I Didn't Know Before I Was A Mom

*I didn't know I could "do my business" with the door open...every time.

*I didn't know I could survive on 30 minutes of sleep a night.

*I didn't know I could do 10 loads of laundry a day every day.

*I didn't know poop could be so colorful or a topic of conversation at dinner.

*I didn't know that kids could sleep on top of Hot Wheels and not feel them.

*I didn't know I would never again be able to take a shower in peace.

*I didn't know kids would eat anything if it's covered in either ketchup or ranch dressing.

*I didn't know that a 3 year old child could take up 99% of the room on a king size bed.

*I didn't know a child could produce so much snot in one blow.

*I didn't know a child could hold so much vomit.

*I didn't know a child could hold so much poop.

*I didn't know I could make the 5 mile trip to the hospital in 1 1/2 minutes at 2am.

*I didn't know how good a hug could feel.

*I didn't know I could love 5 little people so much.

Emma's Song

I overheard Emma in her room singing this little song...enjoy!


God loves me.
God loves me.
Even when I'm bad,
God loves me.
When I get dirty and mommy has to cut my fingernails to get the dirt out,
God loves me.
When I forget to pee and I pee in my pants,
God loves me.
I love God.
God loves me.
We are in love,
Oh, yes, we are in love.
I love God.
God loves me.
God, God, God.
Loves, loves, loves,
Me, me, me!

I'm figuring this out!!

Don't know how I'm doing it, but I've figured out how to put a whole bunch of stuff on my blog. As Madison would say, "Yea me!!"

I've been able to link to places I go, I added the little map thingy, and a counter at the bottom. I'm rockin' this tonight! Now if I could just figure out the picture thing, I'd be dangerous!

Good-night. I'm tired after all of this computer stuff.

Soooo, it's been a while!

Well, let's see. It's not that it's been boring around here, because it never is. I just haven't been feeling creative...sigh!

For the past two days we've had 8 children in our house. Some of our close friends were given the opportunity to go to Hawaii for 10 days, basically for free due to a timeshare that was paid for and frequent flyer miles they were able to use! We graciously agreed to help out with their kids while they are gone. I couldn't very well say no, they had helped watch ours while we went to NRB in Nashville, and it's HAWAII PEOPLE!!

It's been a lot of fun, although very hectic this morning as I was letting John sleep in...cause that's just how nice I am...and I was getting them all fed, dressed, shoes on, teeth brushed, and hair bows in 5 heads. By the time I got to Sunday School I was exhausted and hungry seeing as I had forgotten to eat myself...duh!

We went to the park this afternoon at Tribble Mill and had a fun time. I'm counting down the minutes until I can put the last four of them to bed...there's 3 minutes left of a Lego Star Wars video game for Marshall and Hogan and getting American Girl dolls into pj's for Madison and Gabby.

I'm tired.

My house is a WRECK.

Laundry has quadrupled.

There is standing water on the bathroom floor...I'm going to assume it's water.

I'd post some pictures, but I don't remember how and John's not here. He's at Starbucks...again, that's just how nice I am!!

Childhood dreams...poof

So my "tween"...a child between the ages of 8 and 12 for those of you too young to have a "tween"...Madison has believed in Santa since she was little. Now, I know there are a lot of people out there who don't want their kids believing in Santa. John was one of them. I however love, no really love, no really, really, really LOVE Christmas!! And that means everything that goes with it, including Santa. Not, however, to the exclusion of Christ. He is the center of our Christmas. Always has been and always will be. But I wanted the kids to experience the fantasy that is Santa. So we have been a Santa family from the beginning. (With Santa only filling the stockings so John could get credit for the big presents...men!)

Now Madison will be 9 in March and I knew her fantasy would be ending soon, if not from the influence of older friends, from her own intellect. It happened today. Darn-it. This morning she was asking me if Santa was real. I averted her question by saying I was concentrating on my email and we'd talk later. I ran upstairs to call John almost in tears. He of course calmed me down as he always does and reasoned with me. I sighed and hung up. Then she asked nothing all day. I was so happy. Until just about 10 minutes ago. In front of Marshall. Thankfully I could honestly tell him to get to bed while Maddy and I had a "girl talk".

She said she could kind of believe that Santa was real but found it silly (her word) that reindeer could fly. Why she thought an elderly chubby man could get to almost every house in the world in one night but reindeer couldn't fly is beyond me, but there you go. So I had to tell her the truth. I couldn't lie to her. And I had never lied to her before about it either. She just never asked the right question before tonight.

She said she was a little disappointed but that it did make sense to her. She promised she would not tell the little ones. She will act her part when she opens her stocking on Christmas morning. Then she realized it was John and I who had been eating the cookies all these years and cried foul!! Of all things to make her upset. That and the reindeer food that gets kicked off the porch instead of being eaten by reindeer. She's some kid that Maddy of mine!

Will update sooner or later...

Well, it's been kinda crazy around here. I haven't been around to blog too much lately. We were on vacation and while on vacation I received the news that my maternal grandfather had passed away. It wasn't a shock, he had been in hospice care for about 6 weeks, but it's still hard none the less. Harder still was the fact that my parents were on a mission trip in Mexico and I was tasked with getting a hold of them and passing the news on to my Mom...very sad. Then I had to call others in my family as well. I actually made John make most of the calls...I'm very weepy with that stuff.

Even harder than that is I'm not sure he was saved. He never showed evidence of it in his life, nor showed the desire for Christ. My parents and I would try and talk to both my grandparents when we would see them on vacations and such, but they never wanted to talk about it. Now I wished I had tied him to a chair and made him listen...but then it's not my job to save, it's God's, and He has a plan bigger than mine thankfully. His funeral was quite sad in that I think their pastor is not saved either...at least there was no evidence in the "message" he gave.

So anyway, I haven't felt much like blogging lately...although much has happened in our little world so I should. And I will. I just need to get back to my little home school world and our schedule.

So, until then...

New invention please!!

I really need someone to invent something for me. Would someone kindly invent disposable clothes? I mean, someone came up with disposable diapers...thank you very much Mr. Man whoever you are! Can't we apply the same principle to clothes? It wouldn't be as difficult as disposable diapers cause you don't have the need for absorbency. Well, maybe in the pits area.

I am so tired of laundry. I do like a trillion loads (and yes, it is a trillion cause I've counted as I've done them) and then 2 days later (and yes, it is 2 days later) there's another trillion loads waiting to be done. I'm staring at the stinkin' stuff right now. Ew. Don't want to. Wish the kids were old enough to. At least I've got them folding and putting away the clean clothes. That's a huge help. And no, the clothes are not folded perfect but I really don't care if I go around wrinkled. The fact that I can find A) clothes that fit B) clothes that are clean and C) clothes that match is HUGE in my book!!

Maybe I should just have the kids run around naked and only get dressed when we go somewhere. Hmmm. That's a thought I'll have to give serious consideration to. Although then there'd be all these naked butts on my couch. Ew. Gross.

So, I'm back to asking someone to invent disposable clothes. Seriously. Please.

That's my Marsh-Man!

Conversation Marshall and I just had...

Marshall: Mommy, see my ears?

Me: Yeah.

Marshall: Did you see them move?

Me: (looking closely)Yes, I guess they did move.

Marshall: Yeah, I'm like a dog. A dog can move it's tail. I can move my ears! But I can't move my butt cheeks. I've tried. But I just can't. And my penis. I can't control my penis.

Me: (Laughing my butt cheeks off!!)Well, yeah, I can tell that from the bathroom!

Success!

Couch cushion covers clean.

No shrinking, shredding, or shriveling.

Lots of sweat getting them back on!!

Children given speech about no eating or drinking on couch anymore.

Will give hubby same speech later.

I rock!

(Okay, I know y'all are probably thinking, "what's the big deal? I've washed my couch cushion covers a million times"...well, I didn't know you could. There I've said it. I know they have zippers on them, but I just thought that was to get them on in the first place. I didn't know you could wash them. I'm glad that's off my chest. I feel much better.)

Let's Pray...

...that I haven't ruined our couch.

It's been getting pretty dirty what with five messy, sticky, drippy children running around. Not to mention the dog and 3 cats.

I decided that I should try and wash the covers of the cushions. They are in the washer about to be put in the dryer and I am praying they don't shrink, shrivel, or shred. If they do come out as they were before...although clean of course...pray my children don't hear any words come out of my mouth that shouldn't as I'm trying to squeeze the cushions back into the covers. They make those suckers tighter than a frogs water-proof behind!!

Anyway, I'll let you know how it turns out. My hubby won't be too happy if I tell him we need new couches!!

All is quiet

That's right. It is quiet around here. Well, there is still the yelling, running, laughing, fighting, whining, loud talking, wrestling, and what-not-nonsense that has always been around. But the crinkle is gone.

Almost as quickly as Marshall...see previous post...Cooper has conquered the toilet. No more diapers except at night. He refuses to wear one anymore. Not even in the car when I'm sure he's going to let it flow, let it flow, let it flow. But he doesn't. He just lets us know when he has to go, and does. Sometimes he just brings us his underwear and lets us know he's just gone...see previous post.

Just wanted to let the world know that after 8 1/2 continuous years of changing wet, stinky, sometimes downright nasty pants (and sometimes other body parts as well, depending on how nasty the pants were), it's over. Sad. Happy. I don't know which one to choose.

Whoever said...

that potty training girls was easier than boys is full of...well, full of what goes in the potty!!

I've been delaying potty training Cooper just because...well, I don't know, laziness? Knowing he's my last baby? Thinking this is the last little tushy to make that cute crinkling sound as he runs around in a diaper? Everyone telling me to "he's a boy, wait until he's at least 3!"?

Well, whatever the reason, I just decided that I should at least try. I mean, Marshall (and I am NOT exagerating at all people) potty trained himself. He said he wanted to use the potty one day at church...before he was 3...I rolled my eyes and said, sure honey. He went and that was all she wrote. No accidents. None. Not one. Ever. Used the potty from that day on. Don't know why he chose that day. Don't know how he did it. Don't really care. It was over before it began in my book! So much easier than Madison had been since she pooped her panties til she was 3 1/2.

So with the Coop, on Monday I put him in his big boy underware. Told him what to do. He sat there. Did it and he got his candy that I promised. I have to say, I was slightly shocked that at the first try he accomplished his goal. 45 minutes goes by. Same story. It has been 4 days, and he has had about 5 accidents, but in my mind, that's pretty darn good. And he's been going when I'm not even in the bathroom with him. I'll be in the basement and he calls to me and says he did it. I go check, and yes, the evidence is there that he has indeed relieved himself by hinself.

Today was huge because he hadn't yet pooed in the toilet. But I was again in the basement and hear his little voice calling to me saying he had done his business. I go upstairs and find (faint of heart should stop reading here...seriously...last chance) a huge stinking poo bomb. I didn't know he could do such a large doo-doo. I'd never seen anything that big in his diapers before. But there it was. I made such a racket over it oohing and ahhing that the other kids came running...my other four and the three friends we had over...that's 9 people all crowded into a teeniny little bathroom. Cooper starts high-fiving everyone out of joy and pride.

My baby is growing up. And I'm ready to be done with diapers...I think!

I'm Ba-ack!

This is really just a test to see if I remembered how to do this...I didn't. It took me forever. Well, and the fact that the whole system had changed, and I had to create a new account or something like that. I'm not sure what I did exactly. I'm computer illiterate. I don't know what I'm doing most of the time.

Well, it's late and as I said, I just wanted to do this test. I don't think anybody even reads my blog...maybe a few did at one time here and there, but really, how long could I expect those few to continue checking after a few months has gone by.

And Karen, if you are reading this, please excuse all of the mistakes I've made in grammar, punctuation, etc...it's REALLY late for me and I'm not all that good at that stuff when I'm not tired!!