summer 2011

summer 2011

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012
family

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

good morning!!!

I say that by faith, because part of me isn't in agreement that the morning is good. It is sunny out there, and all the kids went to school....but I am tired. If I thought I was tired yesterday, I didn't know what tired was. I picked the girls up from the airport last night and got home after two o'clock. And woke up during the night and couldn't sleep, then woke when Paul got up for the gym....before seven. So yesterday's fatigue piled onto today's exhaustion leaves me in a complete fog. We have company coming tonight, and I need some energy. I am thinking one thing: NAP.

The airline lost Mali's luggage between Norway and New York City. It had her homework in it. That is the best excuse ever.

Benjamin was a sport and did the driving last night. Paul asked him to since I was tired. Well, no offense to Benjamin, but oh-my-goodness....I would rather drive myself than pass every single tractor trailer.....he is a good driver, but makes me so nervous. He is so confident and just talks and motions with his hands and drives along like we're gonna live forever, and I find that every muscle in my body is tensed up, I must've told him a hundred times to be careful or to slow down....and he wasn't even speeding, just getting closer than I would have.....

It was nice to see the girls. They had a nice stop-over in Amsterdam, so they brought some delicious waffle cookies. And no, they didn't go to a coffee house. They just walked around. I don't know how Emily-the-nurse is going to manage getting back on schedule with the time change, the time zone change, and working nights after being a day person these last five or six days. But then I am not 25 anymore, either....

The two little girls are still sleeping, and I am SO tempted to lie on the couch, but if I fall asleep I will just be miserable when I wake up. And if I fall asleep I am afraid of what they will do. Charlotte Claire, not so much, but Camillle.....nah. Don't trust her.

Yesterday Camille took off her poopy diaper, again, to go potty on the toilet. I told her, again, that it is fine to take off her diaper and go potty, but not AFTER there is poop in it. It is funny because she is training herself. She takes that diaper off several times a day and pees in the toilet, then PUTS THE DIAPER BACK ON BY HERSELF! Yesterday she wore undies for a while, and kept them dry. I am experimenting a bit with her by just letting her do it how she wants....it is quite interesting. I am no potty-training expert, but I wonder if the reason it is such a big deal to some parents because they are nervous, and want the child to do it so badly, and the child picks up on that and feels pressure...... Of course, no one wants pee on their couch or poopy undies to deal with......

I have more work here than I can shake a stick at....which makes no sense at all. I have the washer and dryer going, and now I need to get going. The good things about today:

1. There is still no couch monster. I have been diligent about that one thing, keeping clothes off the couch.

2. Joseph doesn't have to work so I am taking great comfort in the slight possiblity of him watching the girls while I take a NAP.

3. Our company is coming tonight!!!!

4. Ever since Charlotte Claire started talking, she has been saying this one phrase, "Two boys are coming over!" We have joked around about this quite a bit, as she would say it so sincerely. Now two boys ARE coming over, and she is so thrilled. (and two girls)

5. Today is a clean slate. As I told the grumpy Mr. Jonathan this morning, one gets to choose his own attitude. One cannot change the circumstances, usually, but one can choose to be glad.

6. We have lots of apples, pears, bananas, and oranges.

And lots of other obvious things.....

4 comments:

true blessings said...

I love reading your adventures,so funny about your son's driving,my mom says that about me! Your writing style reminds me of author Becky Freeman,I have one of her 3 books in one and oh my goodness,I laugh out loud till I cry!

M said...

Just saying hello. Your posts make me grin. I rarely have the time to comment anymore but oh my oh my apples and oranges and cracking me up. :)

And the potty training? Yeah. It'll happen eventually. That's my theory on it. And sitting with a 4 and almost 3 year old in diapers still? WTH ever. Pushing it results in drama and my 2 are like having 20 so I'll pass on drama. WTG miss diaper off AND on...now that's skill!

Virginia Revoir said...

Guess what I did last week? I took allllll the laundry to the laundry mat and just got it washed at once. It was FANTASTIC! I think I'll do that again. I hate, hate washing one load at a time. Especially if I'm backed up.

By the way, I'm super behind on my house right now. There is no way I could have any company over. I'm super tired the last few days and I don't know why. I'm NOT pregnant so I don't know what is up. Yawn.

Becky said...

I love the new picture at the top of your blog...maybe it's not that new, but I haven't been here in awhile:)

We are potty training too! And it did get to the point where she could diaper herself, lol! I am totally letting her lead the way at this point. I can not try another thing. It has to be her wanting it. This approach of waiting and letting her lead the way has actually worked...we'll see if it continues!