Life.

If the boys didn't sleep...I don't think I would blog at all!  The days seem to be so full and I have more duties than energy to complete them.  This is the story of every mom's life, right? {grin}

  

The day seems to go by in a whirlwind of activity.  Then, when the boys are all in bed and the house is quiet...I collapse into a heap on the couch.  If I am fortunate, my hubby sits next to me and we watch something mindless on TV and chat about the events of our day. 

     Brad has been working in the evening...trying to keep up with the many classes he is teaching this semester and ministering to his students.  The house is a mess.  The toys strewn about the house are evidence of a hard day's work by our little boys.  The messy kitchen is evidence of a meal prepared with love and shared around the table by our tribe.  There is a pile of books near the rocking chair in our living room...further evidence of how this momma spent her afternoon.  Sam has a new chapter book from the library resting on the table near the couch...evidence of the independent reader he has become.  The evidence is everywhere....they are signs of life in this place.  This is what makes this house our home.   

     The pace of life is hectic...but, so incredibly rich.  We're blessed.  Brad has a job that he has been called to and he enjoys his work.  He is blessed to work with some amazing colleagues and students who challenge and inspire him.  We're parents to four healthy, happy, rambunctious little boys who are growing in stature and in faith.  The laundry is never done, the kitchen is always littered with dirty dishes and crumbs on the floor, and there are toys scattered around the house...but, I honestly love it.  Life is not without it's challenges...but, I wouldn't have it any other way (most of the time).

The Dynamic Duo (Caleb on left, Matthew on right) enjoying a book together.

Sam working on a masterpiece.  The date is incorrect.

..the little boy is wonderful.

Luke celebrated his 5th birthday on March 9th.  I can hardly believe how quickly the time has passed.

   

Monday, Monday…

Another weekend has flown by at lightning speed…how does that happen?  The other five days of the week often crawl by at a snails pace – but, the weekend is over in the blink of an eye.  Maybe our time together as a family is so little and so precious that we try to cram in too much. 
The boys are all coming down with a cold.  The amount of sneezing and snotting going on around here is amazing.  If it weren’t so gross, it would be impressive.  I am constantly armed with a tissue…and my services are needed often.  There are many things I will miss about having young children…wiping noses will not be one of them.  Oh yeah, and reassembling sippy cups after they have been washed will also not be on  my list of “things missed” from this season of motherhood. 
However, the bonus of having little ones who are a bit under the weather is that there are many more snuggles and opportunities to smooch their soft, chubby cheeks.  I am also reminded that a passing cold is annoying, but not such a big deal.  When I get tired, frustrated, and annoyed with the things that go along with having ill little ones…I try to remind myself to be grateful (sometimes, it even works).  Somewhere there is a mom who has a sick little one who doesn’t have access to good health care or a mom who has a little one who is chronically ill and would love to only have a nose to wipe instead of an entire daily routine to care for them.
So, I am learning to pray more – asking for God’s help.  I desperately need Him to help me be patient when I am tired, to remain calm when it’s chaotic, and to remain grateful for the joy of mothering these little men of mine.  

So, when life has you in a tight spot – call on the Lord & be thankful!  {grin}

The Lord is near to all who call on Him, 

to all who call on Him in truth.     

Psalm 145:18

Missing Miss Phyllis

I remember the day all too well...exhausted from lack of sleep, yet deliriously happy with the two new little men in my life. Brad and I determined that we were simply overwhelmed and we needed help. This was not an easy conclusion for us to arrive at. You see, we are proud people from the Midwest - when times get tough, you buck up and get it done. However, the reality of 4 little boys who were 4 and under and a husband who was a student, a full-time employee, and also had a part-time job on the weekend was just too much. We were crying, "Uncle!" God was peeling away another layer in the "self-sufficiency" costume we were wearing...and teaching us once again what it means to live in "community" with other believers. So, we finally gave in and asked for help. We talked and prayed...and then prayed some more...and then posted an e-mail on the seminary's website to hire someone to help us.

Only two people responded to our "want ad" - and I was honestly a little disappointed. I really thought we needed to have a few more options...ha! God knows just what I need and I am so thankful that He doesn't take my opinion into consideration when caring for me. I don't know what I need as well as He does! :) Turns out that we only had one option (the other person was looking for more hours per week)...the God-chosen option for our family. Brad and I invited Phyllis to our home for a conversation...to learn some more about her and to let her see our family "in action" so she could learn some more about us! She came, she saw, and we were shocked when she agreed to take the job! She was exactly who we prayed for...a wise woman who was older than us and had more parenting experience than us, a woman filled with the "joy" of the Lord, and a woman who was "at home" in our madness - nearly impossible to "ruffle her feathers." {grin} God knew just what we needed...and He provided.

The twins were just a few months old, Luke was a baby himself having just turned 2, and Sam was an eager-to-learn 4 year old. It was a madhouse. We were feeding and changing Caleb and Matthew around the clock and getting very little sleep...and trying to keep up with Sam and Luke during the day. Enter Phyllis....she never laughed when I answered the door in my pajama's and my hair uncombed. I loved her immediately. {grin} Over the next year, she would change many diapers, clean my kitchen more times than I can count, love my kids, play CandyLand until Sam didn't want to play anymore, encourage me in my mothering, share God's promises just when I needed it most, pick up toys, encourage me to take a nap, send me out the door to shop for groceries alone while she cared for all 4 of my kids. Phyllis became our "breath of fresh air" during those early months of having 4 kids ages 4 and under. When she arrived - we all sort of breathed a little easier. She was only at our house a few hours a week, but it was just enough to make everything seem better. {grin}

Miss Phyllis graduated with her Masters in Pastoral Counseling a few weeks ago and move back to her home and her family in Georgia. We all knew the day was coming...but, just didn't have the courage to face it. I cried like a baby...you know, the ugly cry where your face gets all twisted up and you have to wipe your nose a lot. I think I was so emotional because I was going to miss my friend...but, even moreso because I was so overwhelmed at God's goodness to me. He saw my need...and sent a gentle, loving friend to help me out. Miss Phyllis will forever have a special place in my heart.

What a whirlwind of a week!

My husband, Brad, was away for a few days last week. Off to enjoy a well-deserved "mancation" with some of his dear friends from our home church in Indiana. These men love the Lord, love their families, love each other, and love to fish for SHARKS! That's right, they actually search out these large sea creatures with many teeth to chomp them with...I just don't get it. I don't think this kind of thrill-seeking is for a woman to understand, no matter how many times I read the book "Wild at Heart." {grin} Nonetheless, I am grateful that God has provided faithful men to encourage, challenge, and care for my husband..in a real "manly" way, of course. {bigger grin}

So, while Brad was away, my parents came to stay (what a fun little rhyme). My dad is retired, but my mom still works a demanding full-time (and then some) job. I love that my mom considers coming to my rowdy house the best way to use her vacation time. We accomplished so much during their ten day stay.

• We painted the front/back doors RED (posh red, to be exact), we planted some fun flowers in the pots on our front porch, my mom bought me a gorgeous hanging basket full of beautiful flowers to hang out front as well. I even bought a new welcome mat...our porch looks really inviting now.
• We planted day lilies along the fence row in our back yard...they are going to be beautiful as the mature.
• We washed the curtains in the kitchen, living room, and the boys rooms. We also washed the windows. It felt so good to get this done!
• We switched out the last of the winter clothes in exchange for some fun summer clothes. Matthew looked so cute in his little camo shorts!
• We went shopping for groceries, bought a blow-up pool for the boys, searched a neighborhood garage sale for bunk beds for Sam & Luke, and my mom even bought me a new pair of sandals! {grin}
  
• My Dad travelled nearly 40 minutes one way to look at some bunk beds that we found on Craigslist. We had to go to the owner's barn several miles away in a remote area, I was so glad that my dad was with me. We ended up not buying them, they were in terrible condition. My dad didn't even complain. {grin}
• We took the boys on a picnic at the park. It was such a blessing to be able to play with them and not be stressed out. It is anxiety-producing to try to watch all four of them and keep them safe in an environment like that. We had a great time...lots of giggling, running, swinging, and sliding.
• We found an answer to prayer, at our church, of all places. {grin} More on this later. It truly deserves a post of it's own.
  
• I bought a Bissel "Little Green Machine" and used it to clean our couch, love seat, and ottoman with my dad's help. I felt so good about this investment. The cost of the cleaner was less than one professional cleaning, and I will use it often. You can't even imagine how dirty it was and how lovely it looked afterward!

• My parents generously agreed to watch all four of the boys while I spent the day with my dear friend, Jodie. She is celebrating her 40th birthday this week, and her dear husband planned a very special day for her. I was her "host" as I drove her to shop for a dress & jewelry, took her out to lunch, enjoyed a "spa afternoon" with her - complete with a one hour massage and manicure. I had such a good time watching her get a haircut and style afterward - she looked amazing! Then, I delivered her to her home to her husband and took her 2 sweet girls home with me. Jodie and her sweet hubby went out to dinner at an amazing restaurant. Jodie is a really giving, selfless person...so, it was so fun to see her cared for and pampered. I was blessed to see her overwhelmed by her husband's extravagant love for her.
  

It was so nice to have my mom and dad here while Brad was away. I really enjoy their company and the truly helped to lighten the load in Brad's absence. It was a great week of memories made and relationships deepened. Today, we were all really sad after they left. I guess that is a good thing, right? {grin} Here are a few photos from our Memorial Day celebration.




Matthew really enjoyed the frog-shaped inflatable pool. He was so eager to get into the water, he wouldn't wait to take off his shirt! Matthew would have slept in the pool, had we allowed him. He was not happy about getting out.






Caleb feel in while waiting to get into the bathtub last week...earning him his second black eye. Poor little guy hardly complained at all. Hopefully, it looks worse than it hurt.
He thoroughly enjoyed his first Popsicle.





Brad blew bubbles for the boys...Sam and Luke never seem to grow tired of chasing them and popping them. Cheap entertainment for our entire tribe! Don't you love sweet tummies spilling over the waistband of their little swimming trunks? Too cute!