How Do You Do It?

Big Bad Wolf or disturbed rabbit???

People always ask me, how do ya do it, with 5 kids??? I do not know, except it is with help from God. I know I have help from Him, cause 5 will drive ya a lil cuckoo...just sometimes, most of the time, we love it. We do have a smallish, cottage size house that we dwell in, and I'd like to share some secrets, I have learned for making it work. I have some tricks up my sleeve for squeezing extra space, decorating for cheap, cooking for a crowd,  etc..  Let me know what ya think and how YOU do it as well. I love to read blogs of other moms who do it all. I am a big, do-it-yourselfer, more out of necessity than anything. If you have something to share, home or kid related, I'd love to post it. Let's all teach each other ways to get it all done! Right now I am gearing up for Halloween and the fall festival at our church. 5 costumes can get pricey, so I do make some stuff and we borrow, and improvise. My youngest wants to be the Big Bad Wolf. I threw this together yesterday, I am going to add face paint to it, but I think it is pretty hilarious..He is loving it.

If you have a child who struggles, this is for you.......

 Summer flew by. We have been in school since Aug 2nd. We did take a vacation the end of August. That was a blessing! Many things have been happening. It is now Fall. It is already looking very different outside. Getting darker earlier ,cooling off  a little, etc...  Some of  you know, we have three kids of our own and our 2 nieces live with us too.  God has really been pressing upon me to share my heart lately, to talk about some issues going on here. My goal with this blog is to be helpful to others by being transparent with my life. We have a great life over all, but we do have obstacles, and if I can't share them and try to glean something valuable from these obstacles, what is the point, right?

 I don't talk about this subject much, but we have a special needs daughter. She is 9. She has Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Her biological mom drank, while pregnant with her. For more details, you can google it, but all kids with this condition, have varied degrees. In some respects, she is quite an average kid.  This is very hard to write about. It is uncomfortable for me and perhaps, some of you. If any of you know us, and have children who come in contact with our kids, my prayer is that you will always use discretion about them..... but ,we cannot worry or hide these things, it is part of our life and part of who they are. This is why, since God gave me my daughter in May of 2003, I have kept her close. I chose to home school her and my 9 year old boy, up until this year. They are in third grade and are both, having some serious learning difficulties. I was over my head and felt it was time to get some help. In the midst of trying to help her, I knew that my 9 year old son was also struggling with school. We got him tested and he has been diagnosed with dyslexia. So, 2 kids with serious learning disabilities. The past 7 weeks have been pretty overwhelming. I have cried a lot, doubted myself a lot, worried a lot, over analyzed a lot. Prayed a lot! I know all these things go with the territory of parenting.  You want everything good for your kids. You want them to be successful, to be accepted by their peers, to feel confident.  It is hard to see your kid cry over a math worksheet, or cry when asked to read out loud. They want to be invited to a party with some kids the like, but never get the invite. Or to know that, the very world they see and hear, looks and sounds different to them, than it does to you.  I want to scoop them up and put them in my pocket and give them a pass on it all........but, I am not allowed. We are in the real world. They have to press on, learn, and do the best they can. We have to accept what limitations we are given, and find our strengths, our God-given gifts, and press on.

I want to say to a mom out there, that may be in my boat. It isn't easy, but our hope is in the Lord. We can do all things through him, who gives us strength. Our kids can do all things, through HIM. I know people like to throw Philippians 4:13 casually around. Maybe it is easy to remember, or gives us an "out", when things are hard, but God gives the ability to overcome, what the world  says is impossible to overcome. We live in a harsh world. An unbelieving world. The world is very competitive, and perfection driven. It is fast paced, intellectual,  young and  restless, bold and  beautiful. It is a world that some of us just don't really fit into, but, it is OK. God has called us out and set us apart. He likes different. He loves to overcome a challenge. He really loves to draw us closer through difficulty.

This is going to be a long year. It is going to be a hard year, I'm not going to sugar coat it, but I'm going to ready myself with God's word, because, he does speak to us though his word.  I am confident in the teachers he has given both of them. They are surrounded by some great teachers who are invested in their success. When we have victories, I will share it, when they are crying at homework time, I will share it.  I want to give someone else who is struggling, this commonality. You are not alone and for their child to know, "The world looks different to someone else too."

Summer.....why are you running away so fast!!!!!!

I can't even believe it is the middle of July! I will be honest, it gets a little chaotic around here with 5 kids in the summer. I've been trying to keep them busy, but some days I just gotta chill. Those are the days when the fighting breaks out, the continuous "I'm bored" sets in, and let's eat everything in the house, cause "we are locusts" and I really need to spend another $500 at the grocery in a couple days.......I know, sounds like total complaining...I gotta vent a little.  But, as I've said, I do love summer and it is flying by! Some of Mike's family came over yesterday. I made 2, chocolate peanut butter ice cream pies. Luckily, they are both almost gone. Mike will finish the last piece tonight. I lost 12 lbs and have kept it off, but I need to lose 12 more. I'm not gonna do it making pies! Tonight, I made semi-homemade chicken fettuccine Alfredo, sauteed zucchini and a big, warm, crusty, french baguette. Not gonna lose it, eating fettuccine either! Bread and pasta, my weakness in life.  Things will get hectic when school starts and I won't be cooking like this...I tell myself. I do love to cook a good meal. I think it is a way I like to show love to my people, like a love language, food!!  Mike just yelled at me, " Hey, this is the best french bread you ever brought home"! Oh the darn french!


I'm leaving you with a little bit of the kids summer!!!

Diving off his dad

Catch a lightening bug!

My niece, sweet Caroline

My Soul Mister



Wedding Day, Amelia Island, June 13, 1992



 

Who are these people? Mike and I just celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary. When I look at this wedding photo, that is what I think, Who are those people??? It seems like a lifetime ago, I was that young, shiny, clueless girl. He was my young, shiny, clueless prince. Wow, it is just such a mind melt. Those two people had no idea, about the journey God would lead them on, the ups and downs. Some serious downs...but some incredible ups, right up on the mountain of his grace and mercy. Who would of thought, that a boy I met when I was 14 years old, would be still right here, with me, on this ride of life! Without our submission to the Lord, who knows how it would've gone, but it has been magnificent. He is such a great person, husband, father, and best friend. I know he feels the same about me. He takes such good care of me. Nobody but Jesus, could love me more than this man. I am blessed and I know it. Our life is the life God designed, good and bad, easy and hard, not so perfect, but.... some days it does feel like perfection. I can say without a doubt I love him more today than when this photo was taken, and I know, I will love him more ten years from now than I do today. It is the way God is working in us and for us. Do people have soul mates? I think so. I think God does have a person, made just for us, but we have to seek it, and work at it, and pour our heart into it. Mike and I are invested in God first, each other second, and our kids third, some may find it risky, but it has never come back void. If your husband is your soul mate, give God the glory, you are blessed. If he isn't, God is more than willing and able to make it happen for you. Marriage is precious to God and he wants you both to succeed. If you aren't married but want to be, Do Not Settle for less than God's best, your soul mister!

Much Love for Summer

Who doesn't love summer? Yes, It is hot. We are in Georgia and in the middle of a heat wave, but it is here!! Summer! Wonderful, carefree, summer. School is out, for one thing. Even when you home school, you want school to be out!!! We are grilling out more, another plus, less cleaning the kitchen. Less clothes, which mean lighter loads of laundry,  like shorts and t-shirts. No wearing of the shoes, just flip flops!! Ice cream, Popsicles, frozen drinks. Lots of vitamin d from the good ole sun!!! Going to the lake, going to the pool, going to the beach,  hey, running through the sprinkler! Anywhere, there is water to jump in, we are in heaven. Concerts outside, fireworks, fishing, sleepovers and camping out or just a quiet,shady swing,  I love summer and all it has to offer. Another reason I love summer, my oldest son, Sam, was born in June. Mike and I were married in June. Whether, teaching our kids to swim or catching lightening bugs in a mason jar, these are great memories of the hottest season. This is the season, when we really slow down, and actually see our children growing! This is the time when you get to relish all the little moments, really vacation, relax, and replenish the soul.  Just ponder God's goodness, at all the little gifts. Someone said, that summer is God's way of giving us a taste of what heaven will be like. I think I agree!

I Don't Know

The Ark was built by amateurs, the Titanic was built by professionals.......I don't know who said it, but that is such a true statement. I need to remind myself. The more I think I know, the less I actually know. Without the Lord, it is all for not. Depending fully on God and not my own understanding or means, it is a daily battle. Three months have flown by, spring break, Easter, Mother's day and all the end of school activities. Along with that some huge life decisions. After much prayer and consideration and legal counsel, our nieces our returning to their mom. They are to be reunited with her when school starts again in August. She has been sober for a year, we pray it is permanent.  We can never know for sure if this is right, until it actually happens and begins to play out. We have to trust God and give it a try. We want this to work for them and for us. We feel we have done all we can for the girls and now are giving it fully to God. We also miss our own kids, our original Party of 5, which was Mike, me and our 3 little people. Taking this all day by day.......Wait and see.....Hope for God's best, for all of us.

The Love Connection

Anyone remember that show? It was a cheesy dating show. What about The Love Boat? That was actually one of my favorite shows when I was little. I could sing you that theme song! When I look back at how the world has tried to illustrate their version of love, it's pretty depressing. There have been countless books on the subject, thousands of songs, bumper stickers and little cliches. There is a whole day dedicated to it, but still, the world seems to not really get the true meaning. Love is fleeting,  it is how you feel this moment, but maybe not tomorrow. It's forever til someone cuter comes along. It is a hassle, that takes way too much work. It is a fairytale that won't come true. It better have $$$ attached or we are not buying. That all being said, as a believer, I know that love is none of the above.


According to the bible, Hebrew is the oldest language. 3 Hebrew letters make up the word, love. 2 of the letters make up the root of the word which is I give, the 3rd letter makes it love, or ahava. The root of love is give. Interesting. The bible says God is love..and what does God continually do for us...give. Someone said giving is a condition that creates and sustains love,  I personally find that to be a true statement. In a love relationship that is real, there is giving involved. Sometimes you may find yourself in a relationship where you do all the giving and the other person does the taking, but none the less, when you give, you love. Even more astounding is that Romans 5:8 says, God demonstrates his own love for us in this, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  WHY? Because of LOVE! 1 John 3:19, How great is the love, the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God.  1John4:19-21, We love because He first loved us. If anyone says "I love God", yet hates his brother, he is a liar, For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

There it is in a nutshell, Not the world's, flavor of the month version of love, but God's true version of love.  We can't love without knowing God and we can't know God unless we love others. Bam! I'm convicted. There are people who are easy to love. Charming, charismatic, funny people, that we are attracted to love. What about those, not so" easy to love" people? Do you pass them by?  Do you leave them out of the circle? Do you invite them in? Do you go out of your way to let them know, you notice them? You can be assured God doesn't view you like, we, people view each other.  I am thankful for this truth, God loves me , in spite of......all my shortcomings....too many to name. I will leave you with this. A guy named Paul ,(not Paul McCartney) put into words beautifully, the subject of love in 1 Corinthians 13. It was written just for you.
Happy Valentine's Day!