Spring Cleaning

Was there a tornado at our house you may wonder. The answer would be no. I really have gotten it in my system to start my spring cleaning so that when the nice weather gets here (I am confident that it indeed will) I will be able to actually get outside and enjoy it. My goal is to get it all done this week and next. This seemed a bit overwhelming at first until I decided that this could be a family affair.

It is funny to see how the different personalities of my kids comes out even while cleaning. Annalise (mini me) really gets into it as you can see. She actually crawls into the cupboard to make sure that she gets every nook and cranny. She thinks cleaning is fun and loves to do it. She requests more cleaning.

Then there is Levi. Everyone had their own assigned task and somehow he thinks he needs help with his even though everyone else is busy with their own. He complains often and I can tell he is just bored. Cleaning simply doesn't produce the same concrete results as fixing something or building something does. Your items look the same as they did when you started, you can't really see cleaner. Levi is very visual (must be a boy thing).

Rebecca...she forgets that she is actually cleaning because she is just incorporates playing into it...giving the toys a bath etc. Pretty soon the ADD in her takes over and she has completely forgotten what she is supposed to be doing. Cleaning? What cleaning, I'm just playing!

Emily in the middle of it all and loving it. She helped out by sampling all the clean toys. They tasted clean to her!

I was reminded as I was cleaning of why I love to spring clean. It is such therapy for me. Good smells, organization, pretty things but most of all a fresh start. It made me think of how we get the opportunity to spring clean in our lives every day.

Every day is a fresh start. An opportunity to clean off the dust a grime of the day before and start off sparkling clean and smelling good. But it is our choice whether we choose to spring clean our lives or not. Sometimes it is just easier to not bother, to just keep looking at the same dirt from the day before. To just keep wallowing in our dirt...whether it's a strained relationship, a difficulty in our marriage, a demanding job or a tough financial situation. We just keep wishing it would get better without putting forth the effort to clean it up...whether it means actually doing something about our situation or just looking at it differently. We have the choice every day either way.

I find that once I take a tough situation and actually do one of these things about it I'm so glad I did. Once I actually get started it feels less overwhelming and so much better. Just like my spring cleaning makes me feel so much better so does taking the gift of a fresh start every day. Some days it is definitely easier to make a clean start than others and I wish I could say that I had a perfect record at it. I find though, that it is always well worth the effort when I do just like my spring cleaning in my house is. I look forward to drifting off to sleep tonight with the scent of cleaner filling my nose and the knowledge that I will be able to find things again in my newly organized rooms...even if only for a day or two! To me rewards that are definitely worth the time and effort.

My Prince

I think it's funny that I just posted about Levi and already I'm feeling the need to share some more events that have happened since then.

Levi starts crying this morning because he has 2 loose teeth and he feels he's not old enough. He knows based on his sister that you are supposed to be at least 5 1/2 before you start losing teeth and he is not yet that age. He was hysterically crying "I/m not old enough, I'm not old enough!" I think this is very odd since just about every kid I know of including myself runs around squealing with delight when they discover that they have their first loose tooth.

I thought this was very unusual until the truth came out later...he doesn't have loose teeth just because of nature's plan. He has loose teeth because he was trying to open a very difficult to open container with his teeth yesterday. I've told him in the past that when he does this, he's going to ruin his teeth. Suddenly all the fuss this morning makes more sense since I know he's feeling terrified about ruining his own teeth (guess mom's not so dumb after all!)

I finally bit the bullet and allowed Levi to have some of the light sabers he's been lusting after for months. I don't usually have the extra cash to get things for the kids "just because" but since I was so impressed with his hero being Michael from Angel Wars I decided he should be able to pretend to actually be Michael. I purchased these light sabers with my coupon that I was going to use for some house stuff but he thinks that Michael stopped by to give these to him (everyone needs to play along please). I do have to say that the look on his face when he saw them was worth every penny! The idea that Michael stopped by really made the idea of angels being able to take on human form really real for the kids which is really cool too!

Interview with A Prince

Ah Levi, the lone prince in our home, lover of all things dirty, broken and rough. His "boyness" amazes me everyday as I do not know how to teach boy but he still ends up that way even though he is predominately exposed to girls and their things. He is so different than any girl I've ever met even down to the way he eats, sleeps and even breathes. He loves watching sports and routing for teams according to the colors that he finds most attractive on their uniforms. I'm astounded at the way he just sucks up his punishment and deals with it to the point where I almost feel guilty handing out the verdict...I said almost! He is very sensitive and lives to help and please others. He is such a special boy and I think you'll agree.

1. What is your favorite color? Red

2. What is your favorite food? Pizza

3. What is your favorite movie? Cars

4. What is your favorite book? Anything about superheroes

5. What is your favorite animal? Bees and everything that has sharp teeth and skunks, any animal that can attack it's enemies
6. What is your favorite thing to do with Dad? Play his video game and rough house

7. What is your favorite thing to do with Mom? Play

8. What do you want to be when you grow up? A builder

9. How many children would you like to have someday? One, then I won't have very many to keep track of
10. What is your favorite thing to do in the winter? Go to the cool sledding place

11. What is your favorite thing to do in the summer? Go in the sprinkler and the pool

12. If you could pick any animal which would you want to be? A skunk because they are the best at getting their enemies
13. What is your favorite Bible story? David and Goliath

14. If you could be part of any story which would you want to be part of? David and Goliath, I would want to be David
15. What new thing would you like to learn how to do? Skate

16. If you could go anywhere on a plane where would you go? Around the world

17. If you could visit anywhere in the world where would you visit? Texas

18. Of all the things that you've ever done which is your favorite? Frederic Meijer Gardens
19. Who is your favorite hero? Michael from Angel Wars (A movie about spiritual warfare)

A Little like Mary

I'm a little like Martha. No, not Martha Stewart although that would be nice, I'm referring to the Martha in the Bible. The one who had the chance to sit and talk with Jesus but instead busied herself doing what she felt was more important. Well maybe not more important, just more urgent.

I find myself often wishing that I could spend more time in quiet reflection. I'm trying to learn how to be a better listener when it comes to my relationship with God. Listening to His voice takes time I'm finding and time is a rather precious commodity around here. I often wish that I had more time to read my Bible or to spend in uninterrupted prayer.

I have to confess though that I do find time to do what I feel is urgent in terms of work. Of course I would love to have a few hours to really deep clean certain areas but all in all I tend to make busyness more of a priority than quietness. I can usually find time for my housework everyday but I don't seem to find the time that I would like in His presence.

Most times I can get everything done because I have enough self discipline to get it all done. But do I have self discipline in the right area? I think not. I think if Jesus were sitting on my couch He would tell me that just like Martha I was choosing the practical demands instead of the spiritual ones. Just like I'm trying to teach my kids, the gifts that God gives us are only good if we use them in a good way. We can take the good gifts that He gives us and take all the good right out of them. My self discipline is a good gift but I think He would tell me that I need to find a better balance with it.

If I were in their house that day I would have thought the same thing Martha did, that Mary was just being lazy. In fact, I'd probably whine about it just as Martha did. I love to whine about laziness because I by nature go at 100 miles an hour until I finally drop at the end of the day and the firstborn in me thinks that everyone else should too. I'm quite the opposite of lazy. But, I don' think that Mary was lazy, I think she was incredibly wise. She had the strength to let things go for what was really important.

I think that maybe what I need to do is revisit my mission statement. Yes, I'm really that anal. But my problem is that a mission statement does no good if I don't filter my choices through it. I've gotten a little off track and seem to be straying from my well thought out mission statement. It's still a good statement, but only if I use it like it's intended. If I did I would look more like Mary instead of the Martha that I see in the mirror.

What I really need to learn how to do is not to react to the urgency of life and stay on course more. I realize that I cannot not react things like sick kids, cars that need fixing or the IRS(gggrrrrrr) but I can reclassify many previously urgent things (meticulously cleaning things that are already pretty clean or reorganizing things that are already pretty organized) behind the urgent spiritual needs that I'm feeling I need to address. Somehow I know that if I just put first things first everything will all fall into place.

Someday when I'm standing in judgement it's not going to matter if all the walls in my house were washed twice a year or whether my books were on my bookshelf in an organized fashion. All that really will matter is how obedient I've been and how I've used the gifts he's given me. The gifts of self discipline and energy as well as a husband and 4 children.

I want to spend my life doing not only what is good but what is best. Clean walls and an organized bookshelf make me happy but that's not what should matter. What should matter is making Him happy. I can't begin to hear what He's trying to tell me if I'm always running around at a frightening speed. Since I long to spend my minutes pleasing the Lord, not others or even myself I need to be more like Mary...listening. Maybe I'll even get lucky and He'll tell me to just leave the dust on the walls a little more!

Interview with a Three Year Old

Since we have such great kids I thought I'd share some of their greatness.

Rebecca. She is my greatest challenge but that also makes her one of my greatest joys. She is the one that brings the most laughter everyday. She is more observant than most adults and won't do things that she doesn't think are a good idea. She has spoken in full, articulate paragraphs since about birth and she can "toot" with the best of them (at least she always says excuse me). She is bothered by loud noise and is very timid about trying new things. If something is scary she just covers her ears and closes her eyes (perhaps she's imagining herself in her happy place).

What is your favorite color? Red. If I used a color to describe her personality it would be red.

What is your favorite food? Pizza

What is your favorite book? Berenstein Bears

What is your favorite movie? Diego

What is your favorite season? Spring

What do you like to do in the summer? Ride my scooter

What do you like to do in the winter? Sled

What is your favorite animal? Butterflies and birds (Yikes...I'm putting on the record right now that I will not be releasing any doves as part of her wedding ceremony)

What is your favorite thing to do with Dad? Puzzles

What is your favorite thing to do with Mom? Exercise and read books (she is my workout buddy...anytime I'm exercising she's right there with me...usually complaining about it hurting..apparently she doesn't like to feel the burn)

How many children would you like to have when you are a Mom? Nine

What do you want to do when you grow up? A Grandma. What do you want to do for a job? Mother (insert annoyed rolling of the eyes), being a grandma will be my job!

What is your favorite Bible story? Noah's Ark and about Mary

Easter Fun

We've had a very busy few days, but they were fun too. What is Easter without the coloring of eggs? I can't believe it's been a whole year since we did this last, it seems like just yesterday. The kids actually did really well, a year makes such a difference with certain things. We didn't end up with any of the eggs ruined or anything permanently colored that shouldn't have been so all in all it was a success.

We also had fun finishing up looking inside the Resurrection Eggs which tell the Easter story in a tangible way for kids. I can tell that each year the kids really relate more and more to the story. We always make a book about the story also and the kids had more fun doing that this year too. I heard less of the "Do we have to?" statements than I did last year. Apparently the kids think I can make "school" out of anything (I can) but they seem to accept this better and actually have fun too.

Hunting for the Easter baskets is a tradition that the kids looked forward to this year. They already had the first one found before we were even out of bed (not cool). Annalise was relieved to see that yes the Easter Bunny can get here in snow. She was really concerned...in fact she lost sleep worrying about it (she's my worrier...wonder where she gets that from).

Rebecca got to wear the beloved "Princess Dress" that Annalise wore in my sister's wedding. Jim thought she was overdressed (she was) but I explained since he's never spent time dreaming of being a princess like every little girl does, he wouldn't understand why she had to have the opportunity to wear the dress at least once. Everyone at church did tell her she looked like a princess, so mission accomplished. After all, doesn't every girl deserve to be a princess for a day (or 10 or 20)?

We ate great food at Grandma's too...the kids ate really well which I was thankful for and Jim even got to be there briefly before heading off to work/school. All in all we ha a really great family day!

Appointments

I was enjoying my nice bowl of raisin bran this morning reading an article about moms who give up careers to stay at home and raise their kids. I didn't really anticipate this article teaching me a new concept but it did. Or maybe it just made a huge light bulb come on for me.

There are times that my life leaves me reminiscing about the past. Usually these are times that I'm doing something particularly enjoyable like cleaning toilets, scrubbing poop out of onsies or dealing with a disobedient child with an issue that I've dealt with many times before. I find myself remembering back when I worked and people seemed to appreciate me more, or even at all. There are so many times as a wife and mother that we are so not appreciated and undervalued. This year when I sent my taxes into my accountant I wrote in pink highlighter across the section that dealt with daycare expenses: "When will stay at home moms get a tax break for caring for their own children?" I'm sure my tax guy just rolled his eyes at my ranting and raving but it made me feel better to make a statement about it.

Anyway, back to my reminiscing. In these moments when I'm feeling especially taken for granted I recall when I used to work 60 hours a week. With haircuts being scheduled every half hour and my books being completely filled all the time, that left me with the possibility of 120 people a week wanting to see me, schedule time with me. 120 people that thought that what I did was of value to them. Not only did they think it was valuable enough to schedule in advance but they paid me very well for that short span of time that they were there and they did it month after month. When I took time off some didn't know how they would manage without me.

My family couldn't function without me...I'm the maid, the chauffeur, the cook, the teacher, the accountant, the referee, the laundress, the cleaner, the nurse, the snowplow service and even the butt wiper. But is the work that I do really of any value?

Sometimes I miss knowing that my service is of value as reflected by an enormous paycheck and a nice full appointment book weeks in advance. Why when I stay home and perform these rather mundane tasks is it harder for me to feel that what I'm doing is valuable? Sometimes, just sometimes I wonder whether my kids would be better off with someone to take care of them that has more patience than I or more knowledge than I or more skills than what I have.

This article today affirmed that all of these feelings are normal for a stay at home mother to have. In society we are painted as having little value as stay at home moms. Instead we as women somehow need letters after our name to show that we are important and a big fat paycheck to prove our worth. I was reminded that I get paid with smiles and laughter instead. I get paid with a 7 month old that buries her face in my neck while squealing with delight. I get paid when my kids beg me not to go to the gym for an hour and a half because they are going to miss me (thank goodness I can't afford even a weekend away...they'd really miss me). I get paid when my five year old finally understands the reading I've been teaching him for months. I get paid when my 7 year old asks to spend some quiet time with me in the late hours of the night.

I am reminded that instead of investing my time for a fatter wallet I'm investing time for stock in the future. I'm investing in a time I will not see. I'm investing in a generation of butt wipers...I mean generations of selfless givers. I'm reminded that Jesus said "Whatever you do for the least of these, you do unto me." With these words I'm reminded that I do these things for my family out of love but even more for the higher calling of being obedient. I'm doing these things so that someday I'll hear "Well done good and faithful servant."

Do I still miss the big fat paycheck? You bet. Do I wish I still had the big fat paycheck? There is no money in the world that someone could give me to trade the smiles that I saw this morning. There is no money in the world that could ever buy an investment in the future like the one I'm making. There is no money in the world that will compare to the reward I'll see in heaven during the only appointment that really matters.

Check out my Slide Show!

Ray of Sunshine

People love to look at Emily when we go somewhere because she smiles and laughs at them. People also think I'm kidding when I tell them that this is what she does all day long. I had the camera out for 10 minutes and was able to capture these as proof! She is such a blessing and such a ray of sunshine on a dreary, snowy, March 21st day!

Sleepless Nights

I figured after having been trying to sleep since 5am I might as well just give up and get up. I guess that 's good since I'll have time to blog when I may not otherwise have had the time since I've got another busy day. It's hard to share a bed with someone when 6 out of 7 nights you have it to yourself. And then there's Emily who has been fussing on and off since 4:30. Oh well, hopefully I'll catch a nap later.

This whole not sleeping thing reminds me of something I recently read in my latest book. If you haven't noticed I am always reading a book. Actually I'm usually reading about 3 at a time and I get through them every few days. I love reading (no need to wonder where Annalise gets her love of reading from) and am always looking for God to speak to me through the books I read. The cool thing is, He usually does.

Anyway, my latest book is called Sacred Parenting and I absolutely love it. It's not just a parenting "how to" book. Rather it gives permission to us as parents to feel many of the things that we feel and then the author relates that to how these things relate to our relationship to God.

I'm reminded this morning of this passage from the book...He says " As a cross-country and long-distance runner in high school, I often teased some of the other track members. When the going gets tough, the sprinters stop. Yet parenting goes far beyond any endurance race I ever ran or will run. When you have a sick child, or perhaps just a normal moody child that wears you down isn't usually one catastrophic event; it's the daily grind of the same plodding steps-without end. And then doing it again. And again. And again".

It's those again and again moments that I'm feeling right now as I yawn with Emily swinging away nest to me, happy as a lark, completely unaware of my need for more than 5 hours of sleep.

Another passage that I really love in this book says, " If God gives us situations we already have the strength to handle, we won't have to grow in order to deal with them". He goes on to say, " Of course our natural inclination is to pray that God would remove our burden instead of giving us the strength and endurance to persevere. But it's God's choice to decide how he will answer, not ours." I know for me there's lots of times that I'm dealing with a particular issue and I don't often think of praying for strength, just deliverance. It was a good reminder for me to read that it's these "issues" that shape us into being stronger, more capable ( and hopefully Christ-like) people.

Anyway, enough about my latest epiphanies. Life has been pretty busy around here. I'm just finishing up teaching a Lamaze class and trying to get kids events scheduled for the remainder of this year and looking ahead to next year's events already. This spring Annalise will be trying her hand at tennis and Levi will be playing soccer. Hopefully we'll have better weather than last year as it was always the coldest day with gale force winds when it was soccer day.

Annalise is just finishing up her 1st grade math book this week and will be moving on to 2nd grade math. We are also trying to finish up her 2nd grade Language Arts in the next couple of weeks so that we can focus on book I use also for Language Arts, I like each one for different reasons, but would like to catch up in the 2nd book through 2nd grade also. Sounds confusing when I explain it, but it's really not. she is also doing really well with her piano lessons. She really understands the counting really well which I was concerned about. I can definitely see how kids have to understand math before they can play music well.

Levi just finished up with his first set of readers yesterday and he is now excited to move onto the second set. He is also getting close to finishing up his school book for Preschool which covers many developmental concepts. Since he will officially be starting Kindergarten in the fall, we need to get him through his Preschool and Kindergarten books this spring and summer so he can start with the curriculum I used for Annalise in the fall.

Rebecca has been focusing on her puzzle skills and then working on her Preschool book and she pretty much has all the letter sounds learned so we'll start reading with her soon too. She can't wait to read. She already does her pretend reading several hours each day.

Emily is all over the place. She rolls everywhere quickly. She is in that phase where she always has several bruises on her forehead at varying colors for their various times of impact. She is always getting somewhere or into something in such a hurry that she smacks into something with her head or hits her head with a toy. She's so funny to watch when Jim and the kids roughhouse like they so often do. she loves to be in the middle of it. She yells and squeals or yells like they all do and she waves her arms all over. I know she can't wait to get in there and roll around too!

As I put the finishing touches on this entry I have finally resigned myself to the fact that I'll be getting no more sleep tonight. What is Emily doing....sleeping peacefully and quietly in her swing of course!

Day One

I wonder if it's a good thing that the first day of Jim's crazy schedule happens to be a day that I feel like pulling my hair out. Somehow I think not. I think if I hear "Mom" one more time I may change my name. Perhaps it's just that no one stayed quiet during quiet time. Perhaps it's that all the kids thought that each meal today was an opportunity to request fifteen different food items to fill their bottomless pits. Here are Levi's requests just at dinner:
1. chips
2. nut mix
3. snack mix
4. nut mix
5. snack mix
6. nut mix...maybe if I just keep repeating what I''m saying mom will drop what she's doing and give me what I'm asking for
7. nut mix...that's it, I just wasn't asking LOUD enough
8. yogurt
9. dessert
10. more to drink
11. watch a video after dinner
These were just his requests...I have 3 other kids one of which was complaining about asparagus having pits in it. Last time I checked, I don't remember this being a vegetable with pits. The best thing to do when your pit less vegetable has pits in it: well just chew it, spit it back out and then smear it all over the table of course! Yes this came out of the mind of my now 7 year old.

Maybe my day has something to do with the fact that nothing is working right today, computer, radio, tv, you name it...it ain't working.

Maybe my day has something to do with my 3 oldest kids helping out with Emily by playing all of her musical toys at once. Hearing 15 different songs at once makes my head want to explode. Then add all the squealing of all 4 kids at once and this is a recipe for disaster for my one last nerve. I know that Levi is just trying to help but this voice that he talks to Emily with is a few decibels lower than what human ears can't hear. Normally this is something I can just deal with for the sake of his help but today it makes fingernails on chalkboards sound better.

Maybe it has something to do with the 17 pieces of corn that I stepped on before I could get a chance to clean under the table...or in this case the food isn't actually under the table because everyone ate their food while hanging upside down in their chair. I'm sure in the dictionary under monkey you could very well see a picture of any one of my 3 older children. Stepping on food is my #1 pet peeve. If I do nothing else in a day, cleaning the food off the floor is a must for my sanity.

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the punishment for one of the crimes that my children have committed today is no video at night which usually buys me a 1/2 hour of some peace while I clean up the path of the tornado that comes through here daily. Since I know I don't have that relief tonight it only makes my day that much worse. Don't you just love how most of the punishments that we give our kids end up hurting us the most?

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I went to the store to fax something and got there and realized that the fax number was still at home. Oh well, I guess it really didn't need to be faxed anyway.

I have now instructed my children that calling me "mom" is off limits for today. They are to call me sunshine instead. We'll see if that helps matters any. Now I even have the cat crying at my feet...go figure.

Well when I finally lay in bed tonight hopefully it will be quiet and I can close my eyes knowing that I made it through day 1 of Jim's internship...only 62 more to go...ugh!

Spring Fever

Is it spring fever or would it actually be cabin fever since we've been cooped up forever and can't seem to spend enough time outside lately? Whatever it is, it has been a welcome sight around here. The kids ( and their mother) have been so excited to get outside and ride bikes, scooters and even go for a bike ride. The kids are itching to actually go on a family bike ride which was their absolute favorite thing to do this past summer. We haven't been able to do that yet...maybe later tonight without Dad since he'll be working.

Speaking of Jim he is starting his internship this week. This means we won't be seeing him really at all since he'll either be working or riding every night with one night off each week alternating between Friday and Wednesday. I'm teaching a class whichever night he'll be home so he'll have Dad duty then.

As much as I know it's going to stink while he's doing his internship I'm glad it's finally here. It's been hanging over our heads for what seems like forever. My personality says just get it done and over with so we can move on. I'm a rip the band aid off quick kind of gal...more pain but for a shorter time, I say. None of this drawn out business, except when giving birth naturally..then I'd much rather not have the quick labor that is so intense as I did with Emily. When dealing with labor I think slow and steady wins the race.

Anyhow speaking of races, I missed the Jig this weekend. I could have sworn it is the weekend AFTER St. Patrick's day but I found out much too late that this is not the case and they don't offer same day registration so it was quite the bummer for me. I now have my sights set on the Calvin race that I really love and I have a good history with it since I actually won my age group once and have the plack and everything to show for it. I'm hoping to have the kids run in the kids' race too...they would LOVE that but this all costs money so we'll see.

So for those of you who may be trying to get in touch with Jim over the next 2 months you will find this rather difficult since he'll be working and riding including drive time at least 78 hours a week. Hopefully he'll still be able to pick up a little OT here and there too. I'll update on how everything's going with it...at least if I have time for blogging.

Well back to my original posting about spring, probably the thing our kids love the most is eating outside. They were itching to do that the other day so I had to go along with it. We were excited to have Emily joining us from her stroller this year. We all remember just 3 short years ago when it was Rebecca eating with us in her stroller. My, how time flies.

Nothing like a picnic with snow piles!!!

A Mother in Training

I often call Annalise "My little mother in training...MIT" for short. She has said from the time she was a very little girl that she wants to be a mother when she grows up. she even sometimes says that she can't wait to be a mother. This desire is something that I have tuned in on.

When she was 3 and she started talking this way, I was able to use this concept to my advantage. When I was asking her to do certain things as chores sometimes when I would hear complaining I would explain that this would help her learn to become a mother someday. Well, that's all she needed to hear...she was all over whatever it was that I was asking her to do. This has since then been something that has caught on with Levi too as his heart's desire is to be a Dad. I trained him with his chores and work with much the same words. The chores and even additional work that I ask him to do are done right away because he now has that little voice in his head reminding him of the promise of the future. When he does things like pack the diaper bag, fold laundry or take out the trash I remind him "You're going to make your wife so happy someday!" He just smiles and says "I know."

Annalise on the other hand has taken this MIT business to a whole nother level. She often takes it upon herself to just do things that she knows need to be done. For example, yesterday during quiet time I'm resting on the couch and she comes up carrying a laundry basket full of folded items. She had helped me start the washer earlier but she then took it upon herself to look in the dryer and fold what was left in there from a previous load and place it neatly in little piles in the basket. I kid you not, this girl folds as well as, if not better than I do (she just takes her time and is meticulous).

Next She carries the exersaucer upstairs which is where it belongs, but I just hadn't taken the time to bring it back up. I ask her what she's doing to which she responds "I'm just getting ready for your Lamaze Class." I had a class to teach down there last night and of course the room not only needs to be clean, but some furniture needs to be rearranged for teaching and learning purposes. I come downstairs later to find that everything has been done for my class.

She is begging me to show her how to fold shirts and pants...I've not done this yet figuring it to not go so well but I think it's time I try...she'll probably fold these better than I do. She may even be nice enough to turn things right side out that are sent through the laundry inside out. I have no such time and the owner just gets them back the same way, neatly folded of course! She dresses Emily and I'm convinced that with her around other than feeding Emily and changing her diapers, I'm really not needed at all...she really could take care of everything else.

She's beginning to learn how to cook and wants me to teach her absolutely everything about it. This may have something to do with all that food network watching we did back when we had cable. My kids loved watching Rachael Ray, Paula Deen and Sandra Lee. Again, maybe I should cash in on this and be surprised to a 7 course meal someday knowing Annalise.


What started out a few years ago as a strategy to get help with a few age appropriate chores has turned into this situation that I often feel guilty about. I truly am not a slave driver and many of the things that she does she does without asking but I sometimes feel guilty about all the things she does. I certainly don;t want her to feel that she is responsible for all these things that she does, but at the same time she has learned that in a larger family, mom simply cannot do it all which I feel is also a valuable lesson.


I guess I need to be thankful that she really is learning to think outside of herself. She is learning how to think of what could make some one's day and then follows through with it. She is learning to think about the future and to do things with the end in mind. She is learning work ethic, organizational skills and time management. Most importantly, she is learning to love others and to sacrifice herself for them. I guess since these 2 things alone pretty much sums up the job if a mother she really is off to a good start!

Cutie Pie

How cute is she, really? She's wearing Daddy's hat. I'll post more about Annalise later, but these pictures were so stinkin' cute and they didn't seem to fit in with talking about Annalise, so here you go!

Annalise's Birthday Week

A Day in the Life of Our Family

I'm often asked how it works in our house with school and everything else so at long last I thought I'd just put all the wondering to rest.

8am: Mom and all kids get up
8-8:30 Morning chores
8:30-9 Breakfast
9-9:30 Breakfast clean up by Mom and kids...maybe some time for playing for kids
9:30-10:30 Entertainment for kids by some electronic device, PBS, PBS kids online, video game while mom does other housework, laundry etc. and feeds baby. If I'm lucky I get a shower, otherwise I just stink...just kidding, it's nothing that a little perfume can't fix!
10:30-12:00 Group school...things like Bible, character training, art or music...something that all kids participate in
12:00-12:30 Lunch
12:30-1pm Lunch Cleanup
1-3 Quiet time for everyone, feed baby and if Dad's home Mom goes to gym
3-5 Individual school for kids..more traditional things like math, language arts, history and Dad is in charge of science if he's here. Annalise has some alone work time while Levi has reading etc. and Mom feeds baby
5:00-5:30 Dinner
5:30 Cleanup..this is usually time that Annalise has some things like spelling tests and reading comprehension assignments that I can help her with while I'm cleaning up at the same time
6-6:30 Finish up school stuff for everyone
6:30-7 Annalise does typical homework type stuff while Becca and Mom do bedtime stuff until 7
7-7:30 Annalise practices piano and Annalise and Levi get ready for bed
8-9 Bedtime stuff for Mom and Annalise and Mom and Levi
9pm Bed for Annalise, Levi and Emily after being fed
9:30 -? Mom does all the housework that didn't get done during day

As you can imagine me being the type A person that I am, this schedule is pretty much the norm everyday...things seem to run pretty well and I run a pretty tight ship so to speak. I have found though that if I don't, things just don't all get done and it seems to work out pretty well for the kids too.

Of course there are often those unplanned things that seem to creep up and I have to get a little but more creative with the schedule. It is possible to make dinner, teach math, teach reading, review colors and shapes, do laundry, clean the kitchen and feed the baby all at one time, for example. Then there are the times that Annalise helps Levi with his reading or Becca with her schoolwork. The phrase "we have a lot of kids and only one Mom" is an accepted mantra around here. The kids know I'm serious when I say that these certain things need to happen and we all have to do our fair share. Luckily I have great kids who don't have a problem doing this...it's quite a sight to see them all in motion working towards a common goal ( like going somewhere).

The kids can all be responsible for their own things, packing the diaper bag and helping each other get on coats and shoes, Emily buckled into her carseat inside and all kids loaded into the car and buckled in. Sounds crazy but it's just a way of life around here!

Budding Scholars

Lest you think Annalise is the only student we have in our house I figured I better set the record straight. Levi is reading...he reads quite well. I got him some readers from the library and he breezed through 4 in the first day. Usually he isn't too thrilled about doing his reading...I think he questions his ability but today he was actually excited to read. He can write his name...I didn't even teach him this. All of a sudden I get a picture that he colored with his name on it...written and spelled correctly! I'm afraid to blink, maybe he'll figure out how to drive a car too.

Then there's Rebecca. She has started working o her school book and she is SSSOOO excited about it as she knows from being the 3rd kid that school books are a very grown up thing. She is breezing through page after page already. When I get through working on it she says "Thanks mom for that great school!" How cute is that really?

I think I heard Emily speak her first sentence the other day. Not really, but she does have two older sisters' mouths to keep up with. I'm sure she'll come out speaking in paragraphs since between the 3 of us girls there's enough hot air moving to heat our house!

I've Arrived!

I'm feeling a bit introspective today as I do every year when March 7 rolls around. In some ways I'm surprised I'm not still laying on the bathroom floor in the duplex that we used to live in. It was 10 years ago today that I needed to fish out of the toilet the 9 week old baby (I believe life begins at conception) that I had loved, longed for and dreamed about to put in my fridge until Monday when I could bring it to the Dr. for testing. I wanted to die, I thought surely this is what death must feel like. After all, you're not supposed to lose babies at the 11 and a half week mark.

But God had other plans. Plans that would bring me where I am today. Plans that would help make me who I am. Plans that would show me the fragility and the gift of life in a way that I could never have seen before.

We all have plans don't we? Great plans. We think if only I have/do __________, then I will truly be happy. Finally when I get here___________ in my life, then I'll _______.

My question is, why not today? Why can't we just realize that we're there today since we're here at all. Why is it so hard for me to just remember that I'm right where I'm supposed to be and I always have been, even when I was laying on my bathroom floor wishing I was dead?

This is what March 7 is for me every year. A chance to look back and reflect where I've been and how far I've come since then. A chance to realize that I'm not dead, nor do I wish I was. A chance to acknowledge that I didn't get here by myself. A chance to realize how one day has shaped an entire lifetime. One day that would change the future of my family as every time since then that the stick has turned blue I know I have experienced a miracle in the gift of a child.

I found such strength in Jeremiah 29:11...For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

Today more than any other day, I realize that the future is now...I've arrived. Sometimes I wish the landscaping were different, but the future is pretty great!

Prayer Warrior

Dear Lord,

Thank You that You are the maker of heaven and earth. Thank You that Grandpa is up in heaven with you now and that he isn't hurting anymore. Thank You that You make all things new. Please send Jesus here soon because I can't wait to see Grandpa again.

Please help us to learn more about You every day. Help us to continue to grow and change. Help us to love You and each other.

Thank You for everything You give us. In Jesus' name, Amen

-Annalise

Goodbye Grandpa

After a long few weeks my Grandpa finally went to his final home this morning. I'm sure there was much rejoicing in heaven this morning.

If there is one word to describe my Grandpa it would be faith. He was such a man of faith and everyone that ever met him know that. He was not quiet about what he believed. He was such a deep thinker and his prayers were so in depth that you could savor them for many moments past the "Amen". He could find a message from God in any and everything no matter how simple. He was constantly reflecting how even a misbehaving child could teach her parents something about God.

I hope that I can leave the legacy that he has, that my kids and grand kids and hopefully greatgrandkids can say the same things about me that they have about him. I've been praying to live more "out loud" so to speak these past few months. That others can see a difference in me from the run of the mill woman. That my life would be an example of faith to others. I now have been given a fresh example of what that looks like.

About 8 years ago I put together an album of my grandparents...a heritage album. I'm so thankful that I did. At the time I still had all 4 of my grandparents and they still had memories of generations past and stories to tell. It was important to me that my kids know where they came from...now they will even though 3 of my 4 grandparents'voices have now been silenced and my only living grandparent is subject to the silence of the past through Alzheimer's. I would like to encourage anyone with grandparents that are still able to share their lives through pictures and stories to seize the day, document the wisdom they have to share. It really is comforting to know that generations from now, children will still be hearing their voices.

I'm so thankful that I took my kids to see him when he was still well this past October. They know who he is and have memories of that visit. Now today we have the opportunity to focus on the sadness of death but the promise of heaven in our devotions today.

I had a goosebumps experience the other night when I went to see him for the last time. I wanted to read him what he told me what his favorite verses during one of our many interviews 8 years ago. I decided on which of my many different translations I wanted to read from. When I opened it up to his passage I found that I had previously underlined that exact verse. Mind you I don't underline many things in my Bible, just things that have really spoken to me. Now this passage has taken on an even deeper meaning...perhaps it's my grandpa's way of speaking to me...I'm glad I got the opportunity to speak it back to him the other night. this is a great reminder of what really matters and where our focus should be. Here's his favorite verse...

IICor. 8:9...For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich...I'm reminded that the world's view of richness really isn't rich at all, it's through giving ourselves away that we become rich.

As I type I'm listening to Emily's Praise Baby version of "How Great is Our God". As the sun streams through the windows which is such a welcome sight to me and my seasonal depression, I can hear my Grandpa singing to me as he soaks in the greatness of God firsthand.

Goodbye for now Grandpa, can't wait to hear your wisdom again someday.

Grandpa with Emily, his 23rd great granchild

Free Dance

Annalise loves dancing. It used to be that tap was her favorite because she's always been obsessed with shoes that make that clicking noise (any shoes that have a hard bottom). So I figured that she would love tap since that's what it's all about. She does like it, but she really loves ballet now.

In a previous blog I know I described a little about her dancing when I watched her in dance class but she dances beautifully even at home. I'm really amazed at how it has shaped her. She is beautiful and elegant to watch even in our living room. Her motions are fluid and she moves with expression to the type of music that is on. She points her toes and has those beautiful dancing arms...it's just who she is as a dancer, even when she's not thinking about it.

For the last few minutes of every class her teacher allows the girls to "free dance" which is any moves they like. Her teacher has really taught her how to listen and move appropriately to what is on. She looks as if she "feels" the music.

As I look ahead to classes for next year I know that I have another budding ballerina on my hands that is just dying to get into class. As I try to sort out who we can manage to send and when I see how ballet has really shaped Annalise as a person. She truly expresses herself through dance, watching her I learn something about her. She is a graceful and beautiful dancer to watch, but it is reflective of her personality as well. She is quiet, expressive and hard-working. She carefully executes everything she does, just like every dance move. She is strong, yet gentle as well. When I watch her dance I get a glimpse into the beautiful young lady that she is becoming. She truly takes my breath away not only when I watch her dance but in those moments every day as she is seemingly wise beyond her years not only intellectually but emotionally and spiritually as well.

I can't figure out where she gets it all from really. There are things that she says and does that amaze me. Sometimes the sensitivity she has to the world and people around her is so intuitive. I just don't think I'm responsible for everything she seems to just know but I have no idea where it came from. I don't know what God has planned for her but it must be something really big and special...somehow I know she'll touch many lives. She is only a few days shy of seven and there are times that I find myself wishing I were half the person she is. She is truly captivating!