calm before the storm....

It isn't very nice to call it a "storm" when the little kids wake up, but it sort of is. Diapers, bottles, nursing, breakfast, clean clothes. I am having a few of my siblings and spouses over for lunch today. And a few young ones, too, for Camille to bite and Charlotte Claire to fight over dolls with. No, I need to be more optimistic. They are really excited and looking forward to having their cousins over.

I am too, but I am not prepared yet. I cleaned up really nicely on Wednesday night, thinking they were coming Thursday....then it didn't work out...and last night was youth meeting, and Paul went too, and I was here with all the little ones...and I didn't get the bathroom cleaned up, or the living room vacuumed, or the kitchen company-ready. All the things that were done on Wednesday night....oh well. I did put some meatballs in the crockpot. I am going to make sausage and peppers and onions, too. Mirielle made some brownies. She is bringing home some fresh Italian bread today, she gets out early from college today. I also need to wash my hair. I should have done it in the shower last night, but sometimes I get so tired ....Paul and I stayed up talking last night.....

I just realized Mali didn't get on the bus....at least I don't remember seeing her....hmm. It is like the cliche' large family thing, when you don't know where they all are, and sometimes someone is missing and you don't even notice....I hate to admit it, but sometimes it is true. I do a mental rundown sometimes, adding them all up....like yesterday.....Em, Norway, Ben, don't know, Abigail - here, Mirielle - here, Joseph - here, Aaron and Mali - shopping with Cheryl, ect.....and if I don't get "16" as the answer, I do it again......when there are multiple cars/drivers, you have to be extra careful not to just assume that the kids you don't have are going in the other car. You have to check. We did leave someone at the meeting once, no, twice, and once I went to the library, in town, 5 miles away, got in the library, and someone innocently said, "Where's Margaret?"....Uh oh....more than uh-oh....I was panicked to the bone. We raced home, and there she was, sitting in a chair in the front yard, furious and crying. Heartbroken. Oops. And once we got almost to town, and someone inquired why Mali wasn't with us. I am much more careful now, counting and going through the names. But it is harder as they grow up, because sometimes they don't all go with me....

I realize that by just sitting here writing any thought that comes into my head, I am postponing what I SHOULD be doing, which is getting off my lazy ....and cleaning up this place.....but oh, I like writing so much more. I do like a clean house, but, if it got that way by magic, it would be fine with me. Mirielle made a birthday cake last night, for Janet -Happy Birthday, Janet! She is one of my sister's seven lovely daughters, Mirielle's age, and very good friend. It was a white chocolate cake with white fluffy frosting, and rasberry jam in the middle. Mirielle and Abigail went over to their cousins' house for a little party. She saved me a piece, since I washed up all the pans and frosting stuff, but guess what? Sam was up before me this morning.....all I can say, is this: I am thankful that I am learning, ever so slowly, to be nice. I did tease him a little bit.....then I got a spoon, and scraped off the plate...and, it was a good cake.