Making it in the Middles

Seems life doesn't allow many moment for me to reflect and blog anymore, why is that? Well, summer has recently come upon us with a sweet, comforting arrival and given me a bit of time.  I realized this year that I no longer have little kids!!! I know-duh- right! Our lives have changed so much- we are in "The Middles" and watching "The Littles" go away has been hard.  Having -not little kids and not big kids is well.....exhausting!!!!!  I remember my sister telling me several years ago-"I would go back to diapers over this!"  My response was a pensive...."NO WAY!" It seemed in those days all I did was change diapers!

I understand her now!  There are some things I am learning being in the middles, thought I would share them with you:

1.  It used to be you had to make sure you had food and diapers in the car, now I make sure I always have a book- FOR ME!  I spend hours upon hours in the car, not just driving, but waiting. I am also very thankful that in Indiana I can talk on the cell phone.

2.  Food....plenty of food in the house- NEVER run out!

3.  Find new ways to discipline- the naughty seat and spanking just don't work anymore.  I have had to be creative here but the worst is that the punishments make me sad!

4. I really have no control.  Not sure why that one is a surprise to me?

5.  Be deliberate.  Life was so fun when we dealt with things as they came, now we actually have to "plan" vacation, have rules about media, "plan" time together", plan, plan, plan!

6. Speaking of media....WOW!   What a strange phenomena which has occurred with the many media driven activities my kids have...make it stop!  I think, particularly the teenager, could actually be on media 24 hours a day!

7.  The communication of opinions is quite different now...enough said.

8.  Dinner, at the dinner table, with 6 family members in an anomaly.  Not sure when this happened but this goes back to #5.

9.  All the things I held so deeply to, stubbornly- "My kids will never do that!"  Well- they do that!

10. Pray! (and drive carefully)

The Littles

The Middles

A New Adventure Begins.....

Well- the Lord moves in remarkable unexpected ways!! We have gone from coast to coast....and now to the midwest, unchartered territory for me, not for Rob.  We have been recently called to a church in Indianapolis and the emotions range from elation...to meltdown.

We have begun the slow arduous task of purging and sorting and giving and piling, etc.  Daddy was gone to Indiana when we hit our first challenge......THE GARAGE!! Oh my!- we HAD to do it so that we had a place to put everything else that we purge. And so it began, only a move can motivate a job like this!  The children set out on a Saturday morning, I requested 1 1/2 hours in the morning and
1 1/2 hours in the afternoon, they were all prepared and were not allowed to make any plans that day.

We did well until we realized the abundance of .........MOUSE POOP (and the sighting of 3 mice)!!!!!  We swept and cleaned and swept and cleaned until it dawned on me, as I watched Sammy rub his irritated eyes, that there is a disease in mouse poop and you are not supposed to sweep it!!! PANIC struck! After a good dose of freaking out, I calmed down and finished our task.  It seems that I have one of these striking panics about something every time Rob is gone.  So--- we are all contaminated I am sure, we did have the garage door open the whole time :) (I hope all you relatives are laughing now) I have been sufficiently made fun of and well...the garage is clean, we have caught 2 mice (which await the arrival of dear old dad),  and we didn't even fight too much!

So now we continue with the rest of the house as we wait for continued confirmation that we will soon be relocating to Indiana.  Our time in this sweet town is going to be missed and the children are taking their time in adjusting to this reality.  We know they will be fine but their hearts are a bit broken.  I will fill you in on anymore fun moments we have in this endeavor!!

My work crew...good times had by all

What we do for fun...

Just a quite evening at home.  Seems we are not home much but tonight the boys had a blast.

great concentration

A whole shooting range in the hallway

Even a target!

Action shot

Missing teeth!

I have realized, with my fourth child, the significance of milestones.  I am not a "cup half-empty" kinda gal, but my husband has made me realize that I do get sad as we pass through certain milestones.  I don't know if sadness is even the correct description of my feelings.  It is a bit like "cherishing."  I have come to cherish certain moments as the kids pass through them.  One of those moments for me is missing teeth.  The first loose tooth- not such a big deal, the last loose tooth- not such a big deal....my very favorite and most cherished is when the children have the two front teeth gone!!! I love it.  I cherish it.  I stare at them and stare at them, I make them talk and say very difficult words and sit back and smile!  I don't know why but I cannot seem to get enough of it....looking at that adorable space in the front of their smile.  They talk a certain way, they eat a certain way and it is simply beautiful to me! 
So-- my fourth and last, Sammy, is here and I find I really don't want to see those two new grown up teeth break the gums. It is a sign for me.  Once those two teeth come in...well....they are big and grown up and it changes their whole face.  Of course, I realize that it is a wonderful new stage but I still want to hold on to the "baby."
God likes me to keep moving forward.  I kick and scream at this in my life but growth happens when I keep moving on.  I get so comfortable in keeping things the same that I forget about his progress as I grow.  I am reminded of this as I look at that beautiful gap in Sammy's mouth.  God wants me to not only cherish where He has brought me, but to embrace the growth and the breaking of "new teeth"...silly metaphor I am sure but it encapsulates my spiritual life a bit.  It will be a new look for Sammy and as always so is growth in my spiritual life......but I need to embrace it...cherish each stage and milestone, even the new ones that change everything! Every milestone is significant and a sign of moving on...in my kids and my life!

Two Kids

I am experiencing a very strange phenomena....having two kids! With MacKenzie in New York and Joseph at Camp Bighorn life is very quiet here, still busy, but quiet.  We have baked cookies, played tickle monster, colored, and gone out to eat.  You would think there would be alot less fighting but that does not seem to be the case?  I am enjoying some good conversations with these two little ones and they are enjoying having a slumber party every night.  We have not heard from MacKenzie since Monday, no news is good news.  They started taking the phones yesterday so I am sure she will call when she is allowed.  But I still miss her!  Joseph made it to the Camp Bighorn Facebook page- looks like all is good there.

The good and the bad

It is so difficult to deal with emotions.  I have been crying alot this morning....she is gone!  It is so hard to understand that things are good when they hurt so much.  She is in good hands, God has called her, she is safe, and her experiences will change her life....yet it doesn't feel so good!  All I have to say- I am so glad we believe in a loving and protecting God, One who loves my child more than I do!  I trust in His calling and His sovereignty, I trust in His love and in His grace.  I have never been away from one of my children for this long but I trust that she will have the time of her life!! Now if I could just stop crying!!!!  It may have something to do with the fact that we have all been up since 3am....yeah... that's it!!!!!

our 3am morning...ready to go!

I know she is on there

Bye sis!!!

The braces are off and so is she!!

Looks like a beautiful smile.  MacKenzie was thrilled to get her braces off before her mission trip.  We leave today for Spokane for a 6 am flight tomorrow and then she is off.  Emotions have been high all week, in all directions! It has taken us days to pack and make sure she has everything she needs.  I am by no means wanting her to be gone...but I am ready for some relaxation after all this preparation!  She is excited and nervous but we are so thrilled about her trip and cannot wait to hear how each day goes.  She got a cell phone for her birthday (early present...birthday is on the trip)  and we are so glad for modern conveniences!

Isn't she beautiful!

The News in Our House

All the good stuff going on in our world:


MacKenzie got new boots for soccer, big deal for her!



Annabelle got her ears pierced!  MacKenzie had to wait until 10-not so much with Annabelle, asking for years and got sister's approval.

Sammy needs new socks :)




 


Joseph mad Turkish Delight.  He is reading the Narnia series and his comprehension guide has the recipe.  Although we had no lemon extract, he insisted on using root beer extract- then insisted on how wonderful they were!



What a BLAST!

Well- we finally had Joseph's birthday party (his birthday was February 18th)!  We had an Amazing Race party, about 20 kids in cars around town completing all sorts of challenges.  It was Rob's brainchild of racing to drink milkshakes, to putting up tents with no directions, to a Walmart extravaganza...and all sorts of things in between. It was his last birthday party- in our house all the fun ends at 10 years old...and he went out with a bang!

Five teams- red, orange, yellow, green, blue....and lots of good friends helping us out...

The birthday party of the year- good job Dad!

Feel free to comment on the new facial hair....he is very proud :)



My 10 year old!