my lot in life...

I am not complaining. No sir. I am extremely thankful for my lot in life....which seems to be me, knee deep in children. Some grow up, some move away, yet there are still toys strewn across the living room and sippy cups on the counter.

I watch 3 year old Lydia five days a week, and two year old Anne...well, all of this week, then...not sure. Probably two or three days a week. AND, on Friday, three more children are moving in for 12 days, 10 year old Will, and the twins, Linnea and Sebastian, who are seven now. (Their mama and papa are going to Europe for a wedding).

So I'll be getting elementary kids on the bus in the morning again, and afternoon snack will get...bigger. More fun.

I'll be honest, part of me loves it, but the lazy part of me suffers. The old achy lady lodged within doesn't like hopping up quickly when the two year old grabs the three year old's crayon. She gets cranky when she has to fish a favorite Little People from under the couch, because her, "I'll get it later" doesn't work on the three year old who is ready to melt down. Taking one to the bathroom, changing the other's diapers, making little lunches...trying to keep the play dough colors separate, and the tops on the markers.

But, the lazy part of me can just shut up, shrivel up, and die. I don't want anything to do with it, with all of its complaints. Children are a blessing, and they do fill the house with joy....even though they have their moments.

We all have our moments.

My lot in life. It also includes being fat, it seems. No, I am not making excuses, nor am I giving up. No, I'm staying no sugar, staying low carb...and today: I exercised! I did! The little girls were playing play dough, so I decided just to jump in with some push ups...I did four sets of ten, and some simple leg lifts and lifting ten pound weights...as I did my push ups, little Anne decided to join me, and ooh yup, she pooped. Time to change her diaper!

But weight loss is sooooo slow for me.

My lot in life...to never know what's for dinner. But, tonight I lucked out: Charlotte Claire decided the other day to make broccoli cheddar soup, so she googled a recipe, and put the ingredients in the cart while we were in Aldi. Today, it was soup day! I also had some brown and serve rolls, so simple dinner! I had leftover chicken, green beans, and a little of the soup on top. She did a really nice job with it.

But don't ask me what we're having tomorrow.

It's hard to get the store when you have the small girls...and in winter, it gets dark, and who wants to go out and about in the dark evening? Not me. So we'll be eating more from the cupboards and the freezer.

I'm thinking I'll be using my InstantPot more this week.

As much as I enjoy the chitter, chatter, and cuddles of the little ones, I do enjoy the quiet evenings too...quiet when my girls are busy doing homework or playing or reading, and Jonathan is busy with stuff. He just got back from his Norwegian lessons.

We lit some candles on the coffee table this evening, ate our yummy dinner while we watched JEOPARDY! Then the television was turned off, we don't watch much. It's so quiet now, the dogs snoring, the dryer humming, the washing machine is hopefully fixed...hopefully. (We don't always eat at the table anymore, especially on cold winter nights. It's just cozier in the living room, and there are so many less of us. Sometimes we do sit around the table though, and that's always nice.)

So 26 days until Mexico, yay!!!! I had hoped to lose like fifty pounds by then, but I don't know what happened. It could have been worse though...all the things I said NO THANK YOU to would have wreaked havoc if I had eaten them.

So let's be thankful for our lots in life. We had a celebration feast for our friend Dave, for the victories he won in life, and we heard that suffering is universal. Everyone suffers. But who can trust God in it, and be thankful for all the sin that's stirred up in it all, who can overcome and be happy? That's my REAL lot in life...and it's a good one.