bye, mirielle!

My sweetie pie and I....getting ready to go bye-bye....look at that face she was making...

Mirielle left this morning...it was sad to say goodbye, even though it is only for the summer. I couldn't help but remember last fall when she took off for England, planning to be gone for over a year...then was detained and sent home, because she only had a ticket from England to Norway, and not a ticket for home... But she texted me when she got there, and she is safe and sound...

Here is Katie saying good bye to Mare....

Jon got to start the car one last time for the summer...

Bye, Mirielle!! (after the awful England incident, then the car smashing that she recieved in Conneticut, it is a bit hard to see her go off on her own....)

After Toys r Us and Target, we were hungry. They talked me into the Chinese buffet, the one with the soft ice cream. They were quite silly.

Charlotte Claire was hiding behind Camille....

You can see her running away, behind Jonathan....

Then she hid under the table. I showed her the picture, and she said, "That is NOT me!"

I HAD to go to the toy store today....I had a $3 off coupon that expired tomorrow, AND the dollhouse stuff was on sale....so I got a new mommy with a baby, and a new daddy with a baby. They are African-American, and the mommy has realistic hair, I love them...and I got a set with a canoe and a girl and a horse.....and a new bedroom set. I really NEEDED it.

We went to Target because a few of the girls needed bras...girls, please don't kill me. I didn't mention your names. All I can say is that bras are expensive, although they are fun to pick out...we all thought so, except for Jonathan...the only boy again. He got back at us by making us take him through the toys, and look at every single thing. I also got a few of the girls half/price bathing suits....

Okay...the Chinese buffet.....it was truly a joy to go with these guys. They were thankful, and enjoyed it, and they most certainly got our money's worth, whatever that means. They especially liked the ice cream. I was a good girl, I only had a very small amount of ice cream, and had seconds only of the black pepper chicken that I like so much. I ate slowly and talked with the kids. Camille ate yellow jello, and red jello, and more yellow jello. Then some ice cream and a few fries....she sampled the chicken, and the broccoli, and took one bite out of a smiley face frie, but she went back to the yellow jello. Good thing kids under three are free!

The grocery store after the buffet is challenging. All that appealed to me were drinks. But I got bananas and milk and bread and yogurt and hot dogs and paper plates and napkins.....we went out to the camper to put things away, but the fridge wasn't working...I think I got it going, but since I don't know for sure, we brought home all the cold stuff and fit it into our fridge here.....too many gallons of milk, so we had some good conversation and chocolate milk around the table.

On the way home, we were all tired, but when Kathryn accidentally popped Charlotte Claire's balloon by writing, "HI" on it with her fingernails (what was she thinking??), it was the last straw...the child would not stop screaming. I can still drive with screaming. Then she unbuckled her car seat...I had to pull over.....then open my door...then get out...then open the back door...then she buckled and stopped crying. (jeepers, am I that scary?) ...the thing I didn't like was how absolutely irritated I was at her. Ooh, I was upset. No one could talk, it was SO loud....when we got home, after I got things put away, I took her aside to talk to her...I told her we didn't like it when she cried and carried on like that, and she said, "Oh Mommy, I won't ever ever do that again!"....so I dropped it. Because that is what we want from our children, right? An acknowledgement that they did something wrong, and a hope not to act like that again.....I am thankful, so thankful that I personally can endure temptation by the grace of God, and not just react out of anger. Because honestly, I could have spanked her....and I do not like to spank. Especially when I am riled. In my opinion, it is just wrong. I do think that once in a while, they might need a little smack on the bottom to let them know I am not kidding, but not as a punishment. No, I just think big people are big and small people are small, and it just isn't right. I want my hands to do good things, to bless and soothe, not to slap and smack. Encouraging them to step up and do the good and forgive one another and be kind and gentle....it is a work, and I have to be a good example. That part is hilarious, that I have to be a good example. I am NOT by nature a patient person. I am learning...slowly...I am learning to be gentle, too. Sometimes I almost feel like a hipocrate, because I see how am, and I find myself telling them things like, "Do NOT yell like that! Just wait a minute, take a breath, and say it nicely." Hmm, right back atcha, Mommy. But they know I am in the same battle as they are, and as they get older we can have some good fellowship in our sufferings.... I am thankful for these kids, and sincerely thankful to God for His grace and help.....otherwise, I do not know where I would be.....