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

Sunday, February 4, 2024

there's no place like home...

Home.  It evokes warmth and security, a place where you can be yourself.  I have strong beliefs that providing a good home life is the best gift you can give to your kids.  It's not the house itself, you don't need two washers and two dryers, but the essence of home, the peace.

One thing I am extremely thankful for is that I've been able to be a stay-at-home-mom, or as we old people like to say, a housewife. 

Anyway.  Yesterday I had plans.  My plans had to change because Charlotte Claire and Camille had different plans.  It ended up being a really nice day.  I visited with Ben and Ashley, and little Anya, Elise, Declan.  Declan can count to five, and he knows who's phone belongs to whom, water bottles too.  He's adorable.  

Emily and Mariel were coming over for dinner, and bringing chili verde!  Paul made two venison meatloafs, and we made a big salad.  I also made...fudge.  

The girls were singing karaoke with their friend Amanda, while I made the fudge.  They helped clean up a bit, then dinner with the girls...there's nothing in the world like having adult kids, it's so nice to have them back "home".  

(I still maintain it's a rather cruel trick, to love and nourish and spend every waking hour taking care of every detail of these small humans, rocking and reading and wiping and feeding, only to have them grow up and move out!)

Of course we all know the whole goal of raising kids is with the intent they stand on their own two feet, so when they pay their own mortgages and buy their cars and go off to their good jobs every day, success!!  It's like those wind up toys, we spend eighteen years or so winding them up, then once they get going, they just clickety-clack right out the door.  

Ah well.  I have things to do this fine day.  We are heading to church, and will have lunch their afterwards, then some of the older kids with the grandkids might come for a visit.  We're in for a sunny stretch of weather, ahhh, it's lovely.    Have a good day!

3 comments:

Marilyn said...

Good morning 😊

Yes we give those kids ‘roots and wings’ I read that once and it’s true. When Michelle moved out she was about a mile away, but it was like she still lived here. She came for supper a few times a week and to do her laundry “because they charge to use the washers and dryers there” 😳😳 So funny! Supper sounds lovely……… what is venison meatloaf like? Did you eat some? Little Declan is growing up and smart too!

We are going to get some snow today by 10 am apparently. It’s 8.55 now and doesn’t look like it’s going to snow to me, but what do I know 🀣 We really need some moisture though. Speaking of moisture…….My goodness, they are having terrible storms on the west coast! Life threatening it said this morning. Very strange weather everywhere.

Have a lovely day Della 😊

Marilyn from Canada πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦

Mari said...

Yes! Home is so good!
You're right on how hard it is to pour everything into those little people just to have them head on out. Guess that means we did a good job though.
The sun is shining here today! I just saw an article that said Michigan had record setting amounts of no sun in January - like we had hardly any days that it even poked out. So, we are rejoicing to see it today!

Anonymous said...

We always joked with our older kids that just when they started to pick up after themselves, help clean up dinner, help make dinner, not need to be reminded about doing those things and basically become friends, they up and leave. Lol
Judy