Foto Friday~ Does she have a chance?

Do you think this little girl has any sort of a chance to play with anything "girlie"?

I'm thinking trucks and hot wheels will be in her future in some way!

We are...

                                                                                                                                                                       

sorting

organizing

tossing

keeping

reminiscing

wondering

anticipating

sharing

seeking

praying

praising

We are...

MOVING

I will be back!  If we did not have to wear clothes, eat or play, this move would be LOTS easier this week!  I don't think that will work!  I have never moved 14 people before! 

I will return after we are settled and I will be sure to fill you in on all the happenings! 

You have my word!

Blessed

 

Our lives have been a little chaotic to say the least!

Moving 14 people has been something I have never experienced before!

There is something to be said about sorting and cleaning out.

Not that I would "welcome" it again but it is good to HAVE to rid ourselves of access!

And BOY do we have it!

My oldest 2 daughters have been there through thick and thin and continue to bless me with thier help!

If they are not home babysitting siblings, they are cleaning or painting.

We always say in our home, "Many hands make light work!"

They have made our load lighter because of their willingness to serve!

I was not part of a big family growing up but I always wanted many children!

When they were young, we went through stages that were REALLY trying.  (I am not always a patient person!)  Wiping noses, little hands pulling on my shirt CONSTANTLY, buckeling carseat after carseat, etc!

Now, I have older kids that help and it is a blessing to watch them interact with their siblings and SO fun watching them grow up!

My oldest son is tiling our bathroom this week, and my girls are helping in anyway possible!

Not to brag, (okay, maybe I am a little bit!)

But...

I am one BLESSED MAMA!

Out with the old...in with the new!

This week, is the final week in our home.  I have cried much with the thought of saying goodbye to this place.  In this house, I have...

1. brought home 4 babies from the hospital
2. potty trained 4 boys
3. redone a bathroom
4. watched a 3 year old drive down a 15 ft retaining wall in our mini-van
5. seen 3 of my kids go from kids to teenagers
6. made to many meals to count in what was a "new" kitchen
7. seen my oldest became at "adult" (not age only!)
8. walked the hallways MANY times with sick babies
9. listened to children play the piano for the first time
10. danced with my husband the day he lost his job and many other times
11. spent many hours on my knees in prayer
12. seen my kids learn and take pride in caring for rabbits
13. taken TONS of pictures
14. gone on many walks
15. lost 30lbs
16. cried in my bedroom while my kids were in Africa but felt a peace that passes all understanding from my Heavenly Father!
17. met neighbors that I will miss having around ( not sure we will be missed quite as much! :)
18. brought cookies and pies to them
19. read many bible verses to my children
20. made a house a home

I have mixed feelings right now about leaving our home.   I am ready to let go and see what the next chapter in our lives will be.  It has been an amazing chapter that we have lived!  I have been on a journey that I would not trade for ANYTHING!  Not always an easy road but exciting none the less!  As the garbage bags and boxes of "old" things go to the curb or local charity, I am reminded that other things are behind me and all "used" up.  I will and have gotten rid of much!  I am glad in most ways to be "out with the old" and I am welcoming the new!  I know God has an amazing plan for us and I will cherish the old but release it to Him and allow Him to do whatever He chooses with the new.  I have learned not to cling to comfort but to Him only! 

I can't wait to write what the new is in a few months!  I know it will be fun!  Never a dull life when God is in charge!  I am finding out to be true a church sign I read this past week, "He is the originator of surprise endings!"  This chapter ended in MANY surprises!  And good ones too!  I wonder what surprises will be at the end of the next chapter!  I hope you continue to join me!

Foto Friday~ A suggestion

With 8 brothers,
I suggest you don't cover your eyes when playing football!
Especially when you are the one with the ball in front of you!

This describes my week!
I have wanted to cover my eyes MANY times!

After being "tackled" many times,
 I finally decided to lay it ALLLLL down at HIS feet!!

He has been SOOOOO good!
  I even feel I can begin to peel my hands away from my eyes and take on whatever He has placed before me!

I am so glad He never expected me to carry the "ball"!

Also thankful that I don't NEED to cover my eyes!

He has it all in HIS hands!

In that, I have peace and I have learned to allow Him to be my refuge!

Won't you do the same?

There is NO better place to be!

Where have I...

...been, you ask?

Well...you would probably not believe all of it if I told you!  And I am sure I don't have the room and you don't have the time!  But I will clue you in on a few things...

• As of yesterday, we had 1 day to pack and move out
• Today, our house sold at auction to the bank
• We have about 2 weeks to get out!  (Better than 24 hours!)
• A DEAR lady has volunteered her empty home to our family to live in, free of rent as long as we need it! 
• That is AMAZING! 
• We have LOTS of work to do but my kids have GREAT attitudes!
• I went through a terrible loss but I am recovering with peace
• God has provided in BEAUTIFUL, UNEXPECTED ways!
• We all had the stomach flu that strung out over a span of 2 weeks
• Yes, it was as bad as it sounds! 
• We survived!  (I still am wanting a shirt to wear that reads, " I survived being a mom of 12 with the flu!")
• My husband had an interview
• We have not heard back yet
• We are still praying for a particular blessing that we feel God has for us
• Not sure of the timing, but we know God knows what is best for us
• I have never been through as much as I have been through in the past 2 months
• God has never felt closer!
• His grace is ever-present and my faith has become SO great!
• That is only through Him because He has carried us
• My husband has been a pillar and I am so totally in love with him even more
• All of this is worth it to show God how much I love Him and that I trust Him
• He can be trusted and His way IS best even if we don't understand it
• I have had moments of kicking and screaming quite often
• I finally am "still"
• It's better that way
• Our lives will be changing even more, but with His hand, we will be more than okay!

Thank you for your continued prayers!  I cannot tell you how they have carried me through!  What we have been through, has forever changed me.  I will be Jesus hands and feet and not depend that others are doing it!  I will get my hands "dirty" and dig deep to make sure that I am used by Him to love others in the way that He has shown us HIS love and provision!

I will be continuing the story, but time may be far and few between until we get moved.  Hang in there with your hands folded in prayer!  I am truly humbled!

Baby pushing baby

Just so you know I have NOT forgotten about the blog world!

This past week has been VERY forgettable and rough with many issues!

HOWEVER...

I am still living and breathing (amazed really!) 

I just had to share this sweet picture of my baby with her first baby and stroller.

It was her Christmas gift from Grandma!

Precious times!

Just a reminder to you that I am here and am writing posts.

Just not able to post them quite yet!

Don't give up on me!

Life is just REALLY throwing us some curve balls right now...

pray

 trust

 hope...

 are the words that come to mind!

Do you hear what I hear?

Sometimes I am AMAZED at the things I hear during the day!  Sentences that stun me, surprise me, mortify me and most of the time make me laugh!  I know, all mother's can say that and that comforts me!  Because if my kids were the only ones that think and do things as children do, I might crawl in a hole and never come out.  (Or at least never let my family leave the confines of our own four walls!)  I thought I would share some things my ears heard or some things that happened over the holidays and make you giggle or gross you out!  Can't predict how they will effect you!

~ "OKAY guys, QUIT running the remote control car through the cookie dough!"
~ My 16 year old informed me one morning that she woke up to a bare hieny staring at her and her 3 year old brother saying, "Wipe me PEEEASSSEEE!"  (She could not push the snooze button after that alarm!)
~ My 8 year old says to his uncle, "Well, I guess I liked the paintable birdhouse, but I REALLY wanted lego's for Christmas!" (I TRY to teach my children to be thankful! UGH!)
~ "Mom, the Christmas tree fell towards the wall and is crooked now!"
~ After my 8 year old had been complaining of a sudden headache,  2 hours later, my 10 year old informed us that while they were playing football outside, that possibly after his brother hit his head on the side walk, he MAY have fallen over after he got up and laid on the ground for a while.  But the 10 year old was sure his brother was faking it! Needless to say, the 8 year old had a major concussion!
~ "Oh no mom!  The tennis racked went through the french door window!"
~ I walked into our kitchen one night after all the kids went to bed and literally about broke my neck from slipping on my kitchen floor COVERED in the tiny cookie sprinkles.  I am STILL finding them a week later!
~ "I think I ate so much at Grandma's, I might have to stay in bed in the morning!"
~ About 2 hours after opening Christmas presents,  9 year old says, "I'm bored!"
~ "But mommy, I can't seep tonight!  I have WAAAYYYY to many pesants to open tomorrow!"
~ I'm not an angry person, but one more twisty tie to undo, and I may have to throw something!
~ "Why do we have to change the year mom, I like the old one!"
~ "Mommy, why do people believe in Santa?  He is just not real!  Well, he may be nice, but he lies to everyone!"
~ If I have to watch one more football game, I may have to throw something else!  (In a house FULL of boys, that is something I guess I better just start enjoying!) 
~ On New Year's Day, My husband said, "Honey, I am taking the kids to the park!"  (They did not even need coats!)
~ "How many days until Christmas?"  (That was yesterday!)
~The neighbors witnessed me tossing the Christmas tree off the porch at 4pm on Christmas Day!  (I love Christmas but when it's over, I like it to be over!)

There were MANY more, but  these were some of the classics!  Share some of your favorite things you heard come from your children's mouths!  I would love to laugh at somebody else's children!  You know, for the feeling of motherhood kinship! :)

More to come...

This is a glimpse of what we did over the holidays

More to come! 

Trying to get "all my ducks in a row"

I actually have to get my kids back on track

Okay, really I am the one struggling

We had such a great couple of weeks and our future is changing.

It is a battle for me to get back to doing things the way we were

So...

I have changed a few things

I will be back to share some of the things we have done.

Please stay tuned!