splashing around 'til they fall asleep....

Kathryn in the pool... Jonathan....

Evelyn, Camille, Suzanne, Sonja, Jon with me....

Withe the temperature in the eighties today, and lots of sun, it was a nice day for a swim...After an hour or so, we took a break in the yard, and I brought out some lunch....peanut butter and fluff, or ham or turkey....and water and cheesies.....I sat in the sun for a bit while Camille and Charlotte Claire went on the swings, and the kids went back in the pool....then I scooped up the little ones, and back in we went. Camille is one crazy toddler...she likes to jump off the ladder into the water...I have to watch her every second. After a while, I was waterlogged and had had enough....we got back out and Camille wanted to go in the baby swing....Charlotte Claire was pushing her...and her eyes were closing....okay, nap time....the kids are all clean and cool and refreshed, watching "Thumbelina", while Camille takes a nap. Sam and Jonathan are watching "Sponge Bob" in Joseph's room. Aaron and Mali took a long bike ride, and Mirielle is making home made iced tea for the girls. Margaret is probably reading.

Today has not just been a wonderful day. No, it started out quite difficult. See, this place is rather torn apart with the painting and all....and last night it came to an abrupt halt as we were all a bit shocked at the paint color....but now we are okay with it, and it will stay....at least for a while. The big kids don't want to paint during the day, I don't blame them. It is much smarter to work at night when the little ones are in bed. Anyway, the couches are away from the walls, the other furniture too...there is painting paraphenalia all over....added to the usual clutter, and I don't like it. This morning I discovered one of my favorite picture frames had been stepped on. Then Sonja knocked down a vase of flowers, and the vase broke. The vase was made by Emily in art class...and I really liked it. I didn't really feel like cleaning up and sweeping and doing dishes and cleaning counters....and the bigger kids had watched a movie after I went to bed, so they were in bed for a few hours after I got up....I got kind of frustrated.....but then I started to really think about it....(I also got the kids to pitch in and help clean up)...I cut up two cantaloupe and a watermelon, cubed it and put it in the 'fridge for later, and thought..... " I am not going to let a messy house weigh on me so. " I really had to fight to get my head out of water, so to speak. I had to fight against depressing thoughts. Why is it that sometimes it just seems so overwhelmingly hard to deal with things? I felt so exhausted, and like I just did not want to clean up AGAIN....So, what did I fight against? Thoughts. Powers and principalities, spirits. And the amazing thing is, when I turn to God and pray and fight against these things, I get happy. And, the more amazing thing is that then I am able to help others. In this case, the kids. They also can get quite grumbly, and I was able to encourage them to also take up the battle. And, the house is not perfect. Evelyn cleaned and shined up the bathroom, we swept and mopped, did the dishwasher, I cleaned and shined the front of the 'fridge, cleaned the microwave, the fronts of the dishwasher and stove, and then we went outside for our swim. It wasn't too bad, once I stopped feeling sorry for myself.

Now I need to think about dinner.....oh, will I ever learn? I feel like taking a giant nap, but I am not really tired, just a bit dozey from sitting here kind of writing, and kind of watching this movie with the kids....I had some coffee, courtesy of Kathryn, and it didn't work. I wish the cook would come in and make us a nice nutritious dinner. Like grilled chicken and zuchini with yellow squash, and maybe some grilled potato slices.....but it ain't gonna happen. So, .........