my favorite things....

The way Paul loves Suri...and Evelyn sitting there with Jon's computer, with her birthday stuff in front of her...Emily got her a nice new backpack, I got her those new drawers to keep stuff in, and a few shirts, and twenty bucks. One of her siblings also gave her a twenty, but no one will fess up. I am thinking it was Suze.

Spoiled Suri...when I saw this, I thought of the new Muppet movie, and the song, "Am I A Man, Or Am I A Muppet..."

Mama Kitty has a comfy kitten-pillow...these kittens are so cute. The little girls are playing with them right now. Camille has one wrapped in a little blanket, and she is rocking it like a baby. I keep reminding them that kittens are very fragile, and they have to be nice and gentle, and take good care of them while Mama is outside.

Jonathan prays every night that God will help the kittens have good homes, and plenty of food.

Aaron loves Puppy too. She is hard to resist, she just loves people so much. She is learning not to jump up, but she gets so happy she can barely contain it, then she just rolls over to get her tummy rubbed.

Favorite things - I think my most favorite is Summer. Summer vacation. And it is slipping away. Only this week and next, and dreaded school will begin. Have I bought their school supplies yet? ha. I have stocked up on 25 cent crayons and 50 cent markers, and 17 cent notebooks, but I haven't even glanced at their school lists. blah.

Summer. This summer, I have gotten up most days at a bit after six to drive Sam to work. He does have a bike, but some of the days were so hot, and five miles there and five miles back...I am too nice. Now his new bike is broken, it needs a new tire. I told him this morning that he will have to get it fixed or ride mine tomorrow, as I have a dentist appointment for myself and two of the kids. One of my molars broke right in half during our church summer conference. ouch. It hasn't hurt too badly, but I only chew on the other side now. I hate going to the dentist. He is a nice guy, but I would rather have a baby with no pain meds than go for a filling, any day of the week.

Anyway, I haven't been sleeping in much this summer. I don't mind being up early though. I take Suri outside for a bit before driving Sam, then take her with me for the ride. Then get home and get my sneakers on, and walk before any kids are up. Home, coffee, oatmeal, blog...before they are even up, most mornings.

Yesterday, on Evelyn's birthday, I took a quick trip to Walmart with five girls, to get Ev a volleyball. They had no volleyballs in Walmart. Dang. So I bought the girls Powerades, and M&M's and two posters for Evelyn, and home we went. I wish I had thought to get another gallon of milk. We are almost out and the store in town is so expensive.

Puppies and kittens and rainbows and sunshine. I talked to Benjamin for quite a while on the phone the other day. He is working hard to move on with his life, and not get bitter about Ashley. His heart has been broken. He thought this marriage was forever. My heart is broken for him, and for her. I miss her, I care about her, and I think she is making a terrible, shortsighted mistake. It is cursedly painful to be a mother sometimes. The phrase, "I feel your pain", is actually real for mothers. I mean, I don't go to nursing school, but I feel anxiety about the upcoming exams, I remind them to remember things, I feel the triumph when they ace those tests. I am not in the army, but when Benjamin was shot at last week (the guy in front of him was hit, Ben had to patch him up and have him 'coptered out, bullets were flying around Benjamin's boots), I felt his fear. I am not in high school, but I make sure my kids have decent sneakers and shoes and clothes and I certainly feel it if they aren't happy. I am not a nurse, but when Emily loses a patient who was much too young to die, and has some mourning to do, I feel that with her. "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." Prov. 17, v 22. I can't fake a cheerful heart. I have to have things in order in my own life. I can't hold on to anger, or nurse grudges. I need to let God's light shine on my sin, so I can be pure and refined, so I have something to give my children. 1 Timothy 4:16 "Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine, continue in them, in doing so you will save both yourself, and those who hear you." Take heed to yourself.

Ah, sorry about that! Just my version of thinking out loud. Preaching to myself. There is no recipe written out that I can just follow, like, "How To Keep Sane And Raise 16 Children Into Adulthood." I can seek after wisdom from God, pray for help, and be humble, then it will go well.

I think it is hilarious sometimes because people think the answer to being able to manage a big family is by Being Organized. I am sure it helps, and I would love to Be Organized myself. But. The truth is: it is by the grace of God. He strengthens the bruised and wavering reed. Jesus grew up like a tender shoot out of dry ground, which shows that what is around us doesn't determine the outcome, it is how we TAKE things. I can get everything in order around me, but still be miserable. When I learn that it is ME that has to change, then it goes well. Come hell or high water, I can learn to be content. ha, it isn't written like that in the bible, but the meaning is the same.

And now I am done encouraging myself to face the day. Because sometimes I too forget that it is me that has to be humble, I get caught up in thinking Things Around Here Have To Change, Or Else. And that may be true....but. And now I have to clean up real fast, my new babysitting kids are on their way over to meet me!