it's not always easy being a mama...

 Yesterday was a wonderful day, but each day has thorns among the roses.  When I omit those thorns in the blog, it can give the impression of smoooooooth sailing, right?  But in life, everyone has their trials, big and small.  Except movie stars and famous people and people with big huge beautiful houses, of course. 

Yesterday, as you remember, I was going to the store to get things for a nice cookout.  Terri, lest you feel bad that I had to go shopping myself, remember:  I don't mind shopping, not at all.  So I vacuumed and mopped, cleaned the place up a bit, then set off....in very good spirits.  My kids were coming over, it was a sunny day, and I was singing all by myself in the car, with a niggling feeling that my faith was going to be tested.  

I found an Aldi quarter easily, and into the store I went.  A watermelon, some tomatoes, cheese, those awful messy delicious cheese-ies for the kids, powdered sugar mini donuts for the kids, seltzer, burger and hot dog buns, and so on.  Rang it all up, and....no credit card.  I stood there turning my purse inside out, and nope.  Then I pictured myself handing it to Kathryn the night before to pay for the pizza, and couldn't quite picture her handing it back...I asked the cashier to save the cart for me, and I'd be back.  In theory, I don't care what people think about me, but I did feel my face burning.  I had tried to swipe an American Express card that one of my boys gave me for a trip, but it was declined...and I'm pretty sure that Sonja's nursing instructor was behind me in line, but I couldn't bring myself to look.  

Out of the store, called Kathryn, yeah...she had it.  That's better than it being lost, but it was totally my fault for not making sure I had it.  I drove home...Kathryn was coming over anyway, but she came a little sooner...Margaret came too with her boys, so she went with me back to get the groceries.  It's only fifteen miles away, but jeepers, I wanted to be home.  (Aldi employees are SO NICE.  They parked my cart in the cooler, and were so sweet and understanding when I went back for it.)

Home...ah, home...home with the groceries.  Emily and Mariel had arrived, and they brought a very special friend who had stayed with them for the weekend!  

Emily with Minnie.   Minnie visited from Detroit this weekend for the spring conference at church.  We knew her, but not very well.  Now we do!  She's a treasure, almost 80 years old, she raised 14 children of her own, so the chaos here didn't seem to faze her at all.  She was here for a few hours...in which time my dear friend Linda dropped in!  It was most excellent!  Then Emily had to bring her to the airport, but oh dear, what a treat that was to get to know Minnie.  Linda knows her well, so that was nice.

The little ones, the grandkids have been sick.  Some are all better, some weren't sick yet...so that's challenging.  It's busy and their mamas get tired.  Yesterday, a few of the dads played golf, they are busy guys too, and it's nice they can do something fun, not sure I would've recommended Mother's Day, but hey, I'm not the boss of the world ha.  

Anyway, we had a nice cookout here with hamburgers and hot dogs, and yes I grilled.  I don't mind it, but I do need a new grill.  They only seem to last a few years, and ours does get heavy use.  It flared up so much, I turned all the burners off and still managed to grill those burgers. I got flowers, some planted flowers in pots, lotion, sugar free candies, new measuring cups and spoons and tongs, a jar of local honey, and some Black Rifle coffee (mmm!).   It was not as warm as Saturday, but we still were outside, and on the deck, and it was lovely.  Paul took the cover off the pool, yay!!!!

My son Joseph and his dog Bucky....I was grilling, and Bucky wanted a better look, so up he hopped, onto Jonathan's car, which is all covered, waiting for him to return home from Germany.  Joe is having a birthday this week, turning 32, (oh, I'm old!), so I had some birthday gifts for him.

Achilles had a donut with chocolate frosting.

Suri...

I stole this pic from Benjamin, it's Declan...isn't he cute?  He couldn't come over, Elise wasn't feeling well.

Kathryn posted some nice pics on instagram...her and I, and those babies are Ruth and Rhys, cousins.

Ophelia!  She's such a little doll.  I didn't get pics of all the other kids here, have to get better at that.  

What comfort can you offer a tired, busy mama?  Encouragement...you can do this, one day at a time.  God gives grace to the humble.  Let patience have it's perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:4).   Take a deep breath.  Some day you'll get enough sleep.  Ask for help, no one can read your mind!  

You tend to forget the hairy details when your dear little babies and toddlers grow up and turn into big kids and teenagers and adults, also known as your friends.   Those years not easy, and being around the grandchildren, oh I do remember.  

This picture has been on here before.  It's me with Kathryn, 4,  Evelyn, 2 1/2, Suzanne 15 months, and Sonja a month or so....Margaret was there too, not in the pic, she was five but not in kindergarten yet.  Emily was 17, Abigail 15, Ben 13, Mariel 12, Joseph 11, Aaron 9, Molly Rose 8, Samuel 6, all in school.  Little did I know that in one year, I would have little Robert born sleeping, then Jonathan the next year, then Charlotte Claire, then Camille. 

So I DO remember those days.   Then, time flies...look at my baby Camille!  Look at my kitchen!  Joseph in the background with the cat...backpack on the counter, pans on the stove...

Anyway.  I got all dressed and headed to the pool this fine morning, but turned around and came home half way there.  I woke up with a headache, and sometimes when I get a pounder, it makes me super queasy.  I imagined throwing up in the pool, and that was it, I turned around.  But, I'm fine.  Ibuprofen kicked in, and I'm fine, still a background headache, but not gonna hurl. sorry.  

I went out on the deck and did some stretches and moved a bit, then vacuumed and mopped the floors, did some dishes, a few loads of laundry.  Camille has PT in a little while, then we might go out and about.  Sonja is DONE with nursing school, except for the huge-0 state test this summer.  Done. Phew.  Wednesday is her pinning ceremony, and I'm going to cry.  

For now, it's out on the deck for a bit of sunshine...