Thoughts About Having 9 Children

Someone asked me what my thoughts have been realizing we will go from having 5 children to 9 in the next seven months.

Well, I've had lots of thoughts.  The thought of the work load actually doesn't phase me too much.  I can handle more laundry and food preparation and dishes, etc.  Our current 5 are very helpful and independent.  I'll expect the same from the K, A and E after their transition to their new home, country, family, etc.  I've never been one to baby my kids.  If they can hold a cup, they can walk to the refrigerator and get their own ice and water.

The most daunting part right now in my mind about the girls coming from Ethiopia is the medical stuff - parasites, lice, scabies, ringworm.  I don't know if they will have all or just some of the above but I'm not looking forward to any of that.  And I don't want the kids here to get any of it!

I told my mom if people ask me to help, I'm going to take it.  I'll be washing sheets daily for at least the first month and vacuuming twice a day.  And propably wiping everything down like a woman with OCD on steroids!

I'll also be teaching them how to use a toilet and not the backyard.  How to wash themselves, brush their teeth properly, wear underwear, use toilet paper, that sort of stuff. 

And since you never know how they are going to transition, I'm preparing for the worst...rejection, fits, etc.  Think about it...some crazy white family is taking them out of their culture, away from their people to a place they can't even imagine with strange food and an overabundance of everything.  It has to be shocking to them.

I was also thinking one night in bed about how sad it is for them.  They went to bed without a kiss from their mommy.  And when they woke up in the morning, she wasn't there to greet them with a smile or a hug.  So while it's great that they get the opportunity to live in this affluent country and have the best brothers and sisters in the world, who wouldn't trade all that for their mommy?

School next year is a blur!  I have no idea how I will get it done.  Again, if anyone knows a teenager who needs community service hours next year, surely that would count, right?!  I will basically do kindergarten with the K, A & E.  And then will have grades 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th & 6th.

My word for next year is "NO".  Not to my kids but to outside activities and commitments...at least until July.

I am looking forward to the baby and all the hands that are eager to hold and pet him or her.

I will say I had a talk with God and respectfully told Him He got us into this. I'm going to need Him to HELP me through it!  I CAN NOT DO IT MYSELF!

So there you go. 

Independence Day

Happy 4th of July weekend!

I've been busy with adoption paperwork but hope to catch up this week.

In Gratitude

Today I'm joining Ann in gratitude.

I am thankful for friends who are my friends in spite of the kind of friend I am.  You see, I'm not your average call-you-every-day-just-to-chat kind of friend.  Shoot, I'm not even a call-you-once-a-week-to-see-how-you're-doing kind of friend. 

I'm not your let's-have-a-girls'-night-out kind of friend. I'm not opposed to it, I just like being home when my husband's home.  And with a $50 a month eating out budget for the 7 of us, there's not a lot left over for individual use~at least not as far as I'm concerned.

I am a give-you-the-shirt-off-my-back kind of friend, a stand-up-for-you-while-adrenaline-pulses-thru-my-veins kind of friend. I'm an encourage-you-to-love-submit-and-care-for-your-husband kind of friend.  And an encourage-you-not-to-follow-the-crowd kind of friend and keep-it-simple kind of friend.  I love my friends.  They are all so unique and perfect in their own ways and I would love to spend more time with them.

But, I also love my husband, five children, parents, in-laws, and siblings.  I have a home to run, parenting classes to teach, ministry opportunities to do with my husband and five children.

All that said, it's the friends who understand this about me and like me anyway that I am praising the Lord for today.  As much as I would like to, I can't be all things to all people.  I have to live in this season.  And I'm choosing to live in it joyfully and with gratitude!

Mother's Day

I had a great Mother's Day!

The whole day was so nice and relaxing.  It started out that way because we decided to go with Mom to church.  And since their second service doesn't start until 11:00 am, we slept in and still had plenty of time to get ready.  I even had my usual poached eggs on toast with orange juice in bed.

And I had time for some pics before leaving...

After church my dad and the kids and I walked home (remember our house backs up to the church's property) while Roddy ran to get Mom her favorite Chinese noodles. 

For lunch, we had sandwiches to keep things simple.  And while I had to fight the urge to get up and help out with whatever needed to be done, I did resist.  I think one day a year is okay to indulge myself with laziness.

My parents and sister and her family spent most of the afternoon with us just hanging out. 

The kids played.  Tammy and I talked homeschool stuff and sorted through hand-me-downs.  We sat on the back porch enjoying the beautiful weather and decided that next year the hubs are going to plan the day for us! Hee hee! Can't wait to see what they come up with.

Time Away

Here's a hint as to where I've been.

It was warm...

...and sunny.

We had lots of fun.

I came back toasty brown...

...and ready for summer!

Family

My dad is one of ten.

Jeannette, Russell, Bobby, Doris, Billy, Joe, Mark (my dad), Carolyn, Bonnie, and Sandy

Doris and Billy died very young of illnesses we easily treat today.

The two oldest, Aunt Jeannette and Uncle Russ, have also passed away.

Half of the siblings moved down here decades ago - within 45 minutes of each other - and the other 4 stayed in Alabama.

This past week, we got to spend lots of wonderful time with five of the six remaining siblings......along with the cousins who live here and a cousin from Alabama whom I haven't seen in almost 20 years!

I don't what it is about family but I couldn't get enough of them.

The ones that came down from Alabama rented a roomy house with a pool. That gave the kids lots of time to burn off energy and gave Mommy time to catch up!

Wii Boxing

How Freeing...

You've got to read this post by Breezy Tulip. 

To me, it is so freeing because it lines up my priorities so quickly.  I can make my decisions about what to add to my schedule or commitment list through the filter of have I done my first duty well?  And I don't mean "well" according to worldly, feminist standards.  I also don't mean you have to have a perfectly clean and decorated house, perfectly cooked meals, be perfectly fit, be perfectly selfless, etc.

I'm talking about God's standards.  Am I pleasing Him?  Or at least seeking to please Him in my home? in my marriage? in my children?  Am I seeking to grow in my walk with Him? Am I teachable and willing to change to be more like Him? And then how do I apply that change to my first duty?

Mom's Birthday

We had a great time celebrating Mom's birthday.

She and my sister came over about 3pm and all the cousins got to play. The dads joined us after work.

Iris, Mamaw and Braelyn

Colt (4) calls my boys his brothers. Here he and Charlie (5) are working on the fruit pizza for dessert.

The girls dressed up Case (1 1/2).

It was such a great party the law had to be called in to bring order back to the neighborhood. My brother-in-law arresting everyone... Case (minus his drag getup)...even the birthday girl was cuffed.

Our Garden

After the boys' flag football game Saturday morning, Roddy's parent's (Meme and Papa) and my Dad (Mom was watching my nephew) came over to help me build raised beds for a vegetable garden. We used the spot where the grass was dead from the swimming pool this summer. Iris helped Papaw build the frames.Everyone pitched in. Roddy and Papa put up a fence to keep the bunnies out. Roddy had kept the poles from the old trampoline and used them as the posts.
We didn't plant anything yet, but I have the seeds and several plants to go in later this week.

The finished product was more than I even expected! I'm so excited. Thanks Meme, Papa, Dad and Roddy, Emma, Iris, Gray, Jackson and Charlie for all your help!