Just Beautiful!

Please click below - or paste and copy into browser. The music and pictures are amazing!
Enjoy!

http://mabrystudios.typepad.com/reflections_of_christ/2008/03/reflections-sli.html

Joy of Motherhood

So I had a moment I might have posted about before - but wanted to make sure I did. Sorry if this is a repeat.

Last week Coulson woke up in my bed (he had climbed in about 5 am) and he just wanted to lay in bed and cuddle and talk and sing. He kept telling me "no momma" when I would suggest getting up and getting breakfast or getting dressed or going and watching TV downstairs. He just wanted to stay in bed. I started wondering if he was sick - but he didn't act or look sick. In the back of my mind I kept thinking that Ihad a very long list of things I was not getting done. then this thought came across my mind - "THIS IS YOUR JOB! THIS is what is most important on your list. Being his mom in the way HE needs you to be." And I was instantly filled with joy and feeling blessed to be able to stay home with him and be his mom. What a HUGE blessing to be a mom. I know many women who have a difficult time having children or cannot have children of their own. I will never take that blessing in my life for granted.

CJ was laughing so hard the other day that it reminded me of something he did last year. He was tickling Coulson trying to get him to laugh. He was soon tickling Coulson behind his knees. I asked CJ what he was doing. He looked up at me and said very seriously - "I am tickling him in his leg pits." I laughed so hard I was crying. That kid can be so funny - he truly comes up with some good ones.

Adyson yesterday at dinner was sharing her adventures she had had with her friend that afternoon. She was telling us about looking in a photo album that had musical programs in it. She named them one by one -- "Hello Dolly, Music Man, and Ohio." Ohio? Ohio? we all asked her - She answered very sincerely and then sang- "Yeah - you know - OOOOOOO - hi - o where the wind comes sweeping down the plains." I couldn't tell her why I was laughing for a minute or two. I told her she was very cute and then explained it was Oklahoma.

I know I vent a lot on this blog --- but there are many times I am laughing through my days. In fact right now I am daily saying my life is a musical. My kids (all 5 of them - yes even the 21 month old) are always singing songs from BYE BYE BIRDIE, GUYS AND DOLLS, HAPPIEST MILLIONAIRE, HELLO DOLLY, MY FAIR LADY, NEWSIES, AND CATS. My 11 yr old son gets sucked into the singing while doing dishes - he is the one that sings mainly the GUYS and DOLLS songs that the gangsters sing - or NEWSIES. Got to keep it manly - I guess. =)

We have a family reunion next week - and we are suppose to bring something for a talent show. I will have to post what we all agree to.

Children - Babies - Next Season of Life

Of my 5 kids, the two oldest have their moments - but have been pretty easy kids over all. The next two are the ones that give me grey hair - that I totally color! =) The 8 yr old will get upset and yell any time she is asked to do something. It is like I am picking on her because I point out what she needs to do - and has not since I asked three times before. The 6 yr old screams when ever he gets upset. I put him in time out for yelling in the house or throwing a fit like a two year old over having to turn off the video games, or come in from playing outside. But time outs only increase the yelling. I have prayed and prayed for guidance on how to be his Mom and help him break this habit --- but I swear he just like to hear noise coming out of his mouth. Because sometimes I say something and he doesn't hear it - and so he stops crying and screaming instantly and asked what I said in a very calm voice. It seems I get pulled into yelling just to be heard by the two of them - and THAT does not help bring a feeling of peace in our home. I guess I just need to keep trying and praying and hopefully I will get a light bulb moment on the solution to it all.

So I think I had a miscarriage last month. I could have not been more than two weeks along - passed a lot of tissue. But having this happen and unplanned and thinking we were covered - it brings into mind the question of is there another baby waiting to be apart of our family - or are we done? I had such problems with the 5th and last - physically after the baby was here - that we both felt it was very selfish to take a chance of something happening to me and leaving our children without a mother. But I have to admit - making it permanent that we are done is a lot harder to decide. It is basically just getting in the mindset that we are now done with that season of our life (having babies) and moving officially on to the next stage of raising the kids and moving towards the years of being empty nesters. I realize that is years away - but it goes soooooooo fast. Seriously - I could be a grandmother in 6 to 7 years at the earliest. But it is a possibility. And that will be here faster than I want to admit to myself. Plus I think about the fact that I still need to figure out how to be the best mom for the two that I struggle with. I love them all so much and do not think it is fair to add a baby when they all need more of my attention right now at all the different stages they are in. I guess I do not have any answers right now - and not really feeling like I need an answer - but it helps to just write it all out.

The most important thing I can hang on to, is that through the questions of what is to come next, how to teach my kids the best way for them, and where I need to head in my life - is that I know that I am not alone. I KNOW that my prayers are heard and answered - too many times in my life that show that is true. It is such a comfort having that knowledge. I feel so blessed to know this as life gets crazy and stressful. Because that is just the way life is - it doesn't mean life is horrible - in fact I feel like I am so blessed I sometimes wonder why I am so lucky.

School - Fall - RUN RUN RUN

School is going well. My 6 year old is a little more whiny than usual - but I think that is just him trying to adjust to ALL day school. My 11 yr old missed 3 of the first 8 days due to bronchitis - he is fine now - but not a good thing to miss that much with your first year of multiple teachers. My 14 yr old made the HS play - so now we are into the after school practice schedule. The musical they are doing is BYE-BYE-BIRDIE. Almost 20 month old is missing all his brothers and sisters to play with - but the last few days he wants mommy to lay in bed holding him in my arms and just talking and laughing and singing songs --- how lucky am I, that I get to stay home and do that. i have to admit, the first morning he was extra clingy and I thought he might be sick. But then I kept thinking of everything I was not getting done. Then it hit me --- this is the job I am suppose to do - take care of him. I am a SAHM for a reason and I think I sometimes let the to-do list take over more than it should.

Now for the update on my 8 yr old. After fighting since January for a Dr. to listen to me - I spoke with a specialist and found out that she is insulin resistant - early stages. Luckily I didn't listen to the first two dr. from the same office. I kept pushing - it took until Aug (from Jan) for me to finally get them to order blood work. I have to admit at one point I thought they were right and I was just overreacting.....but the MOM Alarm kept going off that something was just not right. She had gained weight in her tummy, chest and face...but her pants size had stayed the same. Anyway, she has to watch her Carb. in take and I have already seen a difference in her.

So Fall hit here full force this week. Monday it was barely in the 50's - very cold and rainy. This whole week we have had only one day in the 70's for the high - and most days have been in the 60's. We might have a bit of a warming again in a week or so - but then it will be full force Fall and sooner than laster Winter! It does not seem possible.

This week also was the start of piano, gymnastics, play practice, scouts, ect. I have aways been about keeping the activities to a minimum. My kids number one job is to be good students. Amanda is at play practice three times a week, youth group once a week, and piano once a week. Parker is at Scouts once a week, and piano once a week - he opted not to do Fall Soccer - I think with all the new classes at school ( 4 or 5 different teachers and more homework) he wanted to make sure he was not over loaded with other things. Adyson has Achievement Days - which is what 8 yr old girls do here instead of Scouts - every other week for one day, Power Tumbling once a week, and piano once a week. CJ has gymnastics Tues. and Thurs., and his singing group once a week. With piano and the singing group across the street at the neighbors (no driving needed) - the youth group, scouts and ach. days two blocks away (quick drop offs) I think it makes it manageable. Not too stressful or crazy. But still very busy!!!!!! Finding time to sneak in dinner as a family is a little tricky some days. =)

I feel like I constantly hear the gingerbread man song in my head - "RUN! RUN! As fast as you can - you can't catch me I'm a mom with a plan!" lol.