okay, who is staying home today?

Sonja K. had a tummy ache yesterday. It hurt really really bad. I gave her a Tums tablet, but it didn't help. Now, all week I have been hearing the horror stories about the kids in the various classes barfing in front of the bathroom door, and in the garbage can. My kids were surrounded by it and it seemed inevitable....well, Sonja K. finally came to me and said that her tummy hurt REALLY bad, and she so pale, I just knew...I told her to run into the bathroom fast!...she made it to the bathroom but....

So fast forward to this morning: after greeting the older ones and taking Rosie out for her morning walk, I went into the little kids' room, and.....I woke the two older ones of them, and asked them how they feel....they don't feel so great, of course. Given that question, of course they are going to say they don't feel well.....but the the throw-up bug will certainly make its way through the family and the thought of them being sick at school makes me too sad.

So today I have Evelyn, Suzanne, Sonja, and Jonathan home with Charlotte Claire, Camille, and I.

Anyway, before I saw the magazine cover yesterday in Wegmans, I had been thinking about having so many kids. I do not pretend to be able to do things fantastically. When they were younger I tried so hard to appear as if I had it all together. But I don't. I do forget things. I feel mighty bad when Suzanne gets five points off a book report that I totally forgot to work with her on...well, I remembered all along, then things got busy...see, that is horrible...but should they not have been born because of these things?

Here's the thing: my kids don't suffer. They get more than enough love and attention and hugs and stories and clothes and food and warmth and down time. It is something I really work on, to balance things out and pay attention to them individually. I also try to be careful not to put too much on the older ones. I think that some responsibility is good for them. But I also respect the fact that they need time to vegetate and read books and spend time with their friends.

I personally admire the Duggars, although I must confess, we do not have cable and have not watched the show. I saw them on Good Morning America, and Michelle seems very sweet. I have also watched a few video clips and have seen pictures of their magnificent house. I wouldn't have a single trouble if I had that house. Ha. But it WOULD be nice....when people ask if we are like the Duggars, I just laugh. No disrespect to them, of course. We are just lucky to have one working washer and dryer, not four. And I bet they don't keep their daddy's guitar on the dog cage, or have thirty childrens' books strewn around the living room at any given time. I bet their living room isn't the play room, music room, excercise room (as in they probably don't have a treadmill in their living room), and computer room. And dressing room for the younger ones. Of course, every room in the house is a dressing room for the two littlest girls, they have a serious change-their-clothes addiction. And they leave a trail....oh, yesterday Camille got up from her nap and went into my bathroom, and emptied the contents of a drawer into her bed....tampons, pads, and qtips filled the bottom of her little green bed. She is going to have to start napping in a different room. She is so funny, I told her it is not nice to go in my bathroom, not nice to take my things...and she says, okay, she is going to be GOOD! It's like they understand things, but have no idea how to deny themselves. Oh, she is in total agreement that she should stay in bed and not get into things....

So, all that being said, I truly wish the best for Michelle and Jim and their family, and of course sweet baby Josie. And I admire them for being so honest about being open for more children. I totally know how they feel. When my Robert was "born" (he wasn't actually born, because he died , so I never know how to say that), he was my 14th, and my heart was broken. Someone actually said to us, "Now it is time to quit. This just proves it." WHAT? ...Anyway, his death had nothing to do with how many kids we had. Just as Josie's premature birth had nothing to do with being their 19th. Anyways, my prayers are with them and their baby.