Thursday, May 31, 2007

Family

We had a great memorial weekend. My family had a big birthday bash for my grandma. She turned 70 this year. It was at my parents house which is always a really nice place to go. It is up in the woods and really peaceful and beautiful. The kids just ran around all day and played. We ate great food and visited. I think my grandma was very happy.

We stayed the night there and then went over to my grandpa's house where my great-grandma lived. My mom and her two sisters were here so we thought it was a good time to go through some of my great-grandma's stuff. It was really sad but we were also laughing a lot. We found things that reminded us of her and things she would say or do. We went through all of her jewelry, which was a lot, and divided it up between all us girls. I am so glad that I get to have little bits of her to remember her by and to pass down to my girls.

It was a really nice time with family. I really enjoy being with them. We all have our quirky things but that is what we love about each other. My moms older sister always makes me laugh and see things in ways that I would not look at them. Her younger sister is really good at giving advise. And I think every time I am with my mom I feel closer and closer to her. She truly is a friend to me and a mom. She loves my kids so much and through doing that she loves me. My dad is also so important to me. He was getting mad at the party because he had not had a chance to hold the baby. He really likes her a lot and she likes him. I think that the older I get the more I appreciate my family.

My son told me that he likes it when my sister cooks for him because she likes plain food also so he does not have to worry about her making it spicy. My cousin made a treasure hunt for all of the kids at the party and they loved that.

I guess I am just realizing that I do not want to take my family for granted. It is a very special thing to have them in my life.

It is not something that just happens but is something that has to be worked at and important to everyone involved. My great-grandma taught us that. She taught us that it is ok to tease each other as long as it was in love. We were to spend holidays together, not because we had to but because it was more fun with everyone around. Staying up late and visiting was one of her greatest joys and she passed that on to us. She made every visit, every encounter a special one just by her being happy.

I realized that my family does not really talk bad about each other. We may get a bit irritated but there was always an excuse. Like if you got upset my great-grandma would say, "o that poor thing, is just to busy or stressed or tired." She taught us so much about loving and treasuring your family. And as far as the grand kids went, they could do no wrong and we knew that she would love us unconditionally. She knew that it was the parents place to raise and discipline but that everyone needs someone in their life that will think they are wonderful not matter what they do.

She has taught me so much and I want to make sure that I pass it on to my kids. I am thankful that my parents have taken up the role of loving unconditionally. To them, the grand kids can do no wrong. And I want to pass on the importance of getting together and just visiting until late at night, laughing and eating. We will pass on this wisdom to our kids that their great-great-grandma taught her family.

Friday, May 18, 2007

A bit of quiet

It is a rare moment of quiet so I thought I would try to write and put down all the things that I feel like are always running around in my head.

I ran into a girl that I went to high school with at trader Joe's yesterday. She was two years ahead of me but it was a small school and I knew her a little. The weird thing was when she asked what I was doing these days and I told her that I had THEEE kids. It kind of freaked me out. I think it might have been the first time I said it out loud, I am the mother of three kids. I felt so old but then so young at the same time. I do not think I really ever thought I would have three kids but I do, and I love it.

We went to the library yesterday, just me and the THREE kids. We go about once a week because no matter how many books we get my son reads them all in about a week and is needing more to read. I love the library and since we go a lot we kind of have a system and it works really good. The kids know what to expect and what is expected of them and they love to get new books. What I am trying to say is that when we got our baby I was not sure if we would be able to go anywhere let alone the library. It just seemed so hard and crazy but she is only three months old and we are able to go to the library. A small accomplishment but a good one.

Just in case you think things are easy and serene around here I need to inform you that the whole library thing was an accomplishment not a daily occurrence. I am the mother of three small children. I am so tired at night that all I want to do is watch tv or on a good night read. I spend my days cleaning up, doing laundry, breaking up arguments, and counting the hours until my husband comes home. It is not easy but there are moments of pure joy, like when our new baby smiles at us, when my daughter tells me that she likes my dancing dress, when my son wants to share one of his Lego creations with me, that make it all worth it.

Right now things are really good. We are in Tahoe for the weekend. I am drinking coffee in bed and the kids are all happy. I love getting away with my family. We get to spend uninterrupted time together. We read a lot, cuddle and watch movies, go for walks, and play games. I am going to enjoy every minute of our time here because when we get home things not only go back to normal but we have an added thing.

Here is a clue as to what it is

10x7=?

That would be ten moves in seven years. That's right. We are moving again. And it will be number ten in the seven years we have been married. It will be my sons ninth move.
It all happened really fast, like it always seems to for us. We found a great, wonderful house. It is hard to find new houses in our area close to midtown. We do not want to live in an old house if we can help it because it is a lot of upkeep and we just are not very good at it. Plus any extra time we have we do not want to spend working on our house if we can help it. The house we are in right now is about ten years old. It is no upkeep at all. But now with another child it is starting to feel really cramped and we do not have a yard. As the kids get bigger I see more and more the importance of a yard. The other thing we have been wanting it to have the "hang out house" You know the one that everybody wants to go to and just hang out. We love to have people at our house and we host a number of things so we have been wanting somewhere to be able to do that comfortably. Do I sound like I am justifying this move? I kind of am. I do not really want to move again but I do feel like God brought this house along right when we were looking. It is perfect and I hope one that we can settle down in but as you can see from our track record there are going to be no promises. We will be moving mid June. So, when we get back it will be time to start packing. At least now we are really good at it. We have a great system. Maybe we should write a book titled, how to move as many times as possible, with kids, and not lose your mind.

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Happy Mothers Day



There are the beautiful, wonderful that I have been blessed with. I love that I get to be a mom to these precious kids. Hope all you moms out there have a wonderful day and give your kids lots of kisses.

Friday, May 11, 2007

My new hair cut and color



I just went and got it colored. It is different than I usually do but kind of fun. What do you think? I was asked for pictures so here they are.

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Foster Care Awarness Month

May is foster care awareness month. My husband and I were able to go to a play that is playing here in our city. Our baby was with a babysitter for the first time. My really good friend offered to watch her and it just all worked out that we were able to get tickets that night. It was an amazing show. It is called Someones Somebody. It is written and acted by one woman. It is about her life growing up in the foster care system. It is heart breaking and inspiring all at the same time. She wrote a book first that is called the same thing. I really want to read it now. It is hard to describe the feel of the play but it made us cry and laugh. She is an amazing woman. And now she is spending her time getting the word spread on foster care and the needs that are there.

I also just looked up a program here in our city that pairs you up with a foster care child for one year. In that year you spend 10 hours a month with the child. Doing things that maybe that child would never get to do. Things like going to the zoo, a play, out to dinner. I just found it and I am going to try to go to the information night in June.

Right now I am reading another book by the woman that wrote Another Place at the Table. The one I am reading is One Small Boat. It is so good but really sad. It is so hard for me to grasp that all this is going on here in our country. There are children that at best are being neglected and at worst horribly abused. I am just trying to figure out what I can do realistically with three children to help other children.

We went out to Chick-fil-a last night. It is the kids favorite place to go because they have a play place. I do not usually like those places but this one is actually nice. It is new to start with so it has that factor but it is just a really nice fast food place. It is always clean, the people who work there are really nice and the food is pretty decent. You can get a grilled chicken sandwich that has a lot of lettuce and tomato on it. Anyway, the guy who took our order was really nice. After we had eaten, which by the way Monday is a special day that for every combo you buy you get the next one free so we at for under ten dollars and got four combos. After we were done the kids were still playing so I went up to get a milkshake for us to share. The same guy took my order and he asked me about our baby. She said something about her being a bit darker than the rest of us and I told him that she is adopted. He then shared that he is adopted and does not know anything about his birth parents and so does not really know his ethnic background. But he was so positive about it and said that he was so happy for us and that the baby would never know anything different. It was an encounter that I would not have had if we did not have our baby. I have a feeling she is going to open more doors for us to share.

So, in the spirit of foster care awareness month please pray for all the children in foster care. It is a scary place for some of them, and an uncertain way to live. We need to keep on praying for them.

Saturday, May 05, 2007

Bad is the new good

I just read this post about how we as moms do not feel like it is ok to say we are good at this job of being a mother. It really hit home. The biggest statement that really got to me was "it is like a competition of whose life sucks the most" We as moms sit around and question everything we do with and to our kids. We sit around and complain about how hard it all is. And it is, but is that all you get out of this job we call mom, really.

Not me. I love this job. And I am good at it. It is liberating to say that. It is like a forbidden thing to say. But it needs to be said. Because it is true. If you love your children, take care of their needs, and make your decisions based on that love. You are doing a good job. Not just a good job but an incredible job.

I have felt like for awhile that we as moms need to support each other more. Not be so hard on each other. Encourage, be supportive, but how can we do that for each other when we cannot even do it for ourselves.

We need to be proud. Not saying I am doing a better job than you, or comparing at all but just saying proudly, " I am good at this" I am doing a kick ass job" I rock!"

So as an early mothers day present to myself and anyone who wants to I am going to be proud of myself and not just in my head. I am going to be happy that I can do this job. I can be good at it. And I do not have to be ashamed of that fact. And you should be proud that you are good at it also.

A few things that I am good at

1. I can make my kids feel better when they are sad

2. I feed my kids nutritious food and they are all healthy

3. I read lots of books to my kids and they love it.

4. I play silly games with my kids

5. I love them and they know it!

Now it is your turn. Take pride in the fact that you are doing a great job and write some of the things that you are good at.

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

This girl is THREE months old


I cannot belive that it has happened so fast. It goes faster and faster with each kid. She is just wonderful. She is starting to really interact with us and it seems like she really knows us now. She is a little daddy's girl. While he was gone for the weekend with the other two kids she did not sleep as well and she would not let me put her down the whole time. As soon as her daddy got back she is sleeping good again and happy as can be. He has that special touch with her.

The kids were so happy to see her when they got home. They went straight to her and started kissing her and loving on her. It was so sweet.

She is just a complete joy to our whole family. It is at that point where we cannot imagine life without her. She is meant to be here and she completes our family.

I love her so much. Her name means, friend, and I feel like it describes her so well already. She is a friend to her brother and sister.

I went up to visit my parents the other day and she fell asleep in the chair with my dad and it was just so sweet for me to see her so content and being so loved by my dad.

We are happy to be so blessed with her and are awed by the way the Lord has blessed us so richly.

We love our little baby girl.