and another day gone...

This morning, Jonny was happy to be leaving the house to go ice skating in the city with Emily and Mali, and Char and Camille.

We picked up Emily along the way, then met Mali at the mall....Kathryn and I watched little baby Lydia at the mall while they went downtown to ice skate.



Kathryn and Lydia...as you can see, it was a total chore to watch that baby.





But we soldiered on, and took care of her:)

We only went to one store, Old Navy. They were having 30% off their clearance stuff, so the little girls got dresses for $3.49, and scarves and mittens for 68 cents. I got two shirts for 68 cents each, seriously, and a sports bra...for 33 cents. Not kidding.

Mali was running on empty. She is on a 12 hour night shift schedule at the hospital, and hasn't been able to sleep much during the day, so I told her to just go home and take a nap, go get her groceries, and then come get Lydia later. We could take her home, and somehow survive, ha. Evelyn, Suzanne, and Sonja were absolutely thrilled when we walked in with her. I hardly got a turn.

We made tacos for dinner, and the evening passed quickly and somehow emptily, even with eight kids and a baby in the house, plus Mali coming over, and Mirielle stopping in...because Paul is in Seattle. I drove him to the airport this morning when it was still dark out. In the snow. I got home, hung out with Ev, Suze, and Sonja while they got ready for school, then went back to bed and read for a while...:)

So tonight I am tired, and tomorrow I have to get up and take Cam to the doctor once more for her ankle, although I hardly think it's necessary. They have to get all their visits in, milk it for all it's worth. She has gone ice skating a few times, and sledding, and is doing gymnastics every day...I think her ankle is okay. But we'll go just to make sure.

Some of my girls want to go to Old Navy to see if there's anything left they want, and they also have Target gift cards, and something to return there, so are clamoring to go tomorrow afternoon, although they have to be back in the early evening for a meeting, so hurry hurry.

There's never a dull moment, and in it all, I get to choose how to navigate through it all. Sometimes I feel really lost in the current, just going with the flow, having no say in life. But the big picture is that God has this. He knows what I need. My soul is troubled sometimes, but I don't want to be weighed down by things I can't do anything about. Kids grow up and make decisions, and live their lives, and Mama knows best, right? But Mama has a thing or two to learn about humility, and sees her lack of wisdom enough to know sometimes it's better just to be quiet, and pray about things.

The house is quiet now. Kathryn so kindly invited the two little girls to have a sleepover in her room tonight. The dogs are snoring, and one of the kitties is sleeping on my feet, which is always coveted here...the kids know I am a sucker for not disturbing them when they have an animal cuddled so nicely in their lap, it is almost a guarantee they will get skipped over when Mama is choosing someone to take out the garbage or run and and answer the phone.

Here are a few pics I took from Ashley:), Paul is there with our sweet little granddaughter, and Ben and Ashley...in Seattle...

Benjamin, Anya, and Grampa (Paul)


I wish with all my heart I could be there too, I miss them, but it's so sweet that Paul loves little Anya so much...and she seems to like him, too.

Anyhow....goodnight.