in the quiet of the morning....

I am being lazy. It is only a few degrees outside, so I sitting here in my comfy chair with a big comfy blanket over me, and the little space heater humming on the floor. The dogs are snoring, and the two kitties are curled up together in the hallway. Jon is still sleeping, and Kathryn is doing work in her room. Joseph just refilled my coffee and went back to his drawing, and Mirielle is nocturnal, so she is sleeping.

I was not lazy all morning though. I got the kids ready for school, shoveled the driveway (that lake effect snow is heavy!), swept the kitchen and living room, put some towels in the wash, cleaned off the counters and cleared up breakfast mess....so I don't feel too guilty about sitting here.

It has been a while since I have had any peace and quiet, and with this being Friday, the weekends are rather loud and busy, so I had better get this little rest in while I can. Jon will be wandering out here before too long, he will chat while he eats breakfast, then we will do some school work...

So this is special, this little bit of quiet.

Lots of people are getting sick and tired of this long cold and snowy winter. I don't mind it as much, mostly I look out the window and it's pretty. But shoveling gets old. The bitter cold wind I could do without. And I am getting cabin fever a little bit. I can go out and about, but where to? Shopping? I do love me some Target, but I don't like going there because I find too many good things. And the blah mall, blah. I want to walk down the road without navigating around ice and snow. I want to sit on the deck and feel the sun on my skin, not just my face because the rest of me is all bundled up.

And the pool....I have sadly neglected the pool lately. I just can't seem to bring myself to go when it's five degrees out!

Yesterday I did my part to warm up the house. The two little girls didn't go to school because Camille had to see the orthopedic surgeon about her arm, which has healed up nicely despite her continuance to use it when it was supposed to be immobilized. (it is still healing, and is very near a growth plate, so she is supposed to be careful and not fall on it. I'm sure she won't fall, because she's not supposed to.) Anyway. The little girls were here, and the other kids got out of school early because of the snow, so I baked chocolate chip cookies. Camille had to bring class snack today, so I made a few dozen extra big cookies and packed them up for her to bring, instead of the usual granola bars.

The cookies are not being eaten as fast as usual, which I attribute to Sam's absence. He would get a glass of milk, and eat cookies like it was an Olympic sport. Oh I miss him.

Being a parent is challenging sometimes. I have to stop and think sometimes about what I am trying to accomplish. What the big picture is. Having my five-girls-in-a-row born within five years....even if they were my only five kids, I think I would be hard pressed for patience. Margaret is 17, Kathryn is almost 16, Evelyn is 14 1/2, Suzanne is almost 13, and Sonja will be 12 in May. One of them is extremely picky, won't touch a washcloth, uses only papertowels or the scrub brush, hates when others smack or lick their fingers or slurp hot drinks. Of course her sisters know this, and sometimes slurp or smack on purpose. Another of the girls is just plain competent. She can clean, she can cook, and...she can "w"itch! She knows just what everyone else should be doing, and she isn't afraid to point it out. "What!!," she says, "the truth hurts!" Another of of these girls is a sweetie, but really messy. Last night I saw her eating a banana. She poured honey on the banana, and ate it as it dripped all over the floor. Um, excuse me, really?! No wonder I have been finding so many sticky spots on the floor. Anyway. These girls seem to be at odds with each other quite frequently, and they aren't quiet about it. I try to keep the peace, I try to keep them in line...I see both sides, yes, that sister is being a butt-head, but look at how you are acting! I try to encourage them when it's peaceful to be more patient, to overlook things, to say they are sorry....

The thing is, they really do love each other. When they are friends, they are really good friends. But when the claws come out, ouch.

Anyway. Yesterday after Camille's doctor visit, we went to the thrift store and bought an electric piano keyboard for $4.99. It works well if the cord is just so.

We then stopped in at the dollar store and got some fake flowers for them to play wedding, and some beads to make bracelets with.

They don't get bored, my little girls. They dress up in heels and pretty dresses and go from playing office to wedding to store to Barbies to getting out all the art supplies and making invitations to some pretend event they are having. They can mess up the whole house in a day.

My friend Martha lost her mother yesterday. Martha is amazing, she took her mom into her home after her father passed away, and took such good care of her. I am thinking of her today, and sending her hugs, and keeping her in my prayers. She has been such a good example of being a true servant, she blessed her mom so very much. I can only hope my own children will take such good care of me someday....