more to say...

I just went back out into the cold and untangled Rosie, took her for a walk around the yard, and brought her back in. The girls by some miracle are not up yet, and it is quiet here....so instead of getting a head start on all that I need to do, I sat back down in my comfy green chair.

I have pictures to post of Camille in her blanket sleeper with her ballerina tu-tu and headband on, but I don't feel like getting back up to get my camera, so those will come later.

here are some random things about the kids:

1. Emily, my 25 year old, is a registered nurse. She works nights, and also takes classes online. I don't see her enough, but when I do, it is pure sunshine.

2. Abigail, my 23 year old, lives with Emily. Emily pays the rent, and Emily likes cats, so she took Kitten Force to live with them. Abigail is now home all day with a lonely cat. I think it is hilarious. I also think Abigail is starting to like cats just a teeny tiny bit. (just for the record, Abigail is actively searching for a job, and is also doing lots of volunteer work for church, and she came here yesterday for a visit and cleaned out a cupboard.)

3. Benjamin, my 21 year old. He goes to the gym every day to play basketball. He helps get wood for the fire, and keeps the fire going. He cleans up around here once in a while. He is also looking for a job, and is waiting for his GED results so he can sign up for either Navy or Air Force. Wah.

4. Mirielle, my twenty year old, was going to give blood today but she does not feel well. Her throat hurts and she has a headache. She is a trooper because she gives blood as often as she can, even though it makes her faint. She commutes to college, does very well, runs the large choir at church, sings her heart out when she cleans the kitchen, and helps me out alot.

5. Joseph, my 18 year old, graduated from high school last year. He wants his license. He is probably going to start a job soon through my brother. He does what I ask of him without much trouble, but he has no problem staying in his room reading, playing games, and sleeping. He is planning to go back to Norway for a year.

6. Aaron, my 17 year old, is an excellent student. He is in eleventh grade, and he has "tons"of homework. He has a wicked sense of humor, and he loves the little ones here.

7. Mali, my soon-to-be-sixteen-year-old (her birthday is the ninth), is my interesting one right now. She is lovelier than she knows. She is a writer and spends alot of time on her stories. She sturggles with some things, but she seems to be doing better. She is thrilled because is going to Norway for a sisters' conference with Emily next weekend. She is going to school for a day with her Norwegian friend, and then the friend (along with her three cousins) is coming back her for a visit, and will go to school with her for a day.

8. Samuel is my fourteen year old, who is in some ways like a ten year old in a man's body. No offense to Sam....in fact Sam, if you are reading this, please know that you are a very distinctive and wonderful child. We all love you. Your sincerity is worth its weight in gold, and the way you appreciate new boxes of cereal is amazing. You are brilliant, and your knowledge of World War II probably surpasses most high school teachers.

9. Margaret, my 13 year old, has lovely curly hair. This morning, it was too curly, or too frizzy, or something, and Margaret did not like it. When one of her sisters commented that it is fine and pretty, she did not like that either. So Margaret is back in bed, getting some sleep and hopefully a better outlook on life. Margaret has always been years beyond her age. She has a beautiful voice and more musical knowledge than I can even imagine, since I don't even know my notes. They get it from daddy.

10. Kathryn, my almost-12-year-old, is a sweetie. She is helpful and sincere and pals around sometimes with Margaret, sometimes with Evelyn, sometimes with Suzanne, and sometimes she is the perfect big sister, taking care of the little ones and taking them outside....she is very capable, and a peaceful type of child, who recognizes the value of getting along well, above getting her own way.

11. Evelyn, my 10 year old, is beautiful and spunky and loud and smart and freckly and tomboyish and much older than ten years old. She is really at least 13. She keeps their room clean, vacuums it every day, always gets her homework done on her own, picks out her own clothes, and always looks spiffy. She does have a temper, and can stomp off like a pro, but she doesn't stay mad for long.

12. Suzanne, my 9 year old, is my story-writer, illustrator. She writes us all notes and letters, and likes to play "secretary". She gets very frustrated when the little ones touch her stuff, so Paul got her a locking tool box for her favorite things. She is very sharing and giving, and has a soft heart for the ones in school who have special needs.

13. Sonja, my 7 year old, is my readheaded freckled sunshiney, attention seeking, easily pouting, often stomping, but really sweet curly-headed little imp. She always wants to go with me, and loves to sit with me in my chair, and really appreciates her one-on-one time. She seems lost sometimes, the youngest of the five-girls-in-a-row, and too old to get all the attention the little ones get. She has these little fits when she doesn't get her way, and I have to look past those and just give her more attention. I love love love her.

14. Jonathan is 5 years old. He is battery-changing- obsessed, he has so many cars and trucks and trains and he loves them and plays with them....he counted pennies with Margaret yesterday, making stacks of ten, and he totally understands the concept of multiplication. He knows he has enough money to buy a new Webkin. (anyone want to come with me when he buys it with all those pennies?) Jonathan is learning, ever so slowly, that it is not anyone else's fault when he gets all mad about something. (which is something that most adults never learn, ha)

15. Charlotte Claire, my three year old, is so independent. She plays for hours with dollhouse stuff and dollies and always changes her clothes, and doesn't like to eat very much, and still loves bottles, even though we don't give them to her anymore. Yesterday she took her sippy cup into the bathroom with one of Camille's bottles, and tried to transfer the milk, and dropped the whole thing on the floor...oops. She is mostly happy and talkative and she is getting too big too fast....

16. Last but not least, is my two year old, Camille. She gets hugs and snuggles from all of us. Yesterday, she was on my lap and she put her hands on my face and turned my head towards her and said, "I love you, Mama!", and she started giving me lots of kisses, then dove in for a hug, and I thought, "This child has been treated like this, and this is what she knows. She is all of our little sweetie...."She is of course a two-year-old, too. She goes from being sweet to that angry NO, MOMMY in no time flat. She can be stubborn....but she is learning some things, too. Whenever she come out from her nap or in the morning now, she tells me, "I didn't get into any of your stuff, Mama!" And I praise her to the skies. They are also learning they are NOT allowed to go into the kids' room during the day AT ALL.

Well, the Cheerios spilled, and Charlotte Claire has the broom and is sweeping it up.....I better really go now.....



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