Biker Baby

Well,not really! 

We don't even know anyone who owns a motorcycle!

But big sister thought of putting her bandana on him and it was just too cute!

(The slobbery shirt makes me think a bib would be a better use for the bandana
but oh well!)
 
Babies and bandana's just go good together no matter how they wear them!

Busy?

Is summer busier for me than any other season? 

Well, not really unless I choose it to be.  And if it is 'busy' it is because I want it to be!  But there are a few things that I let go of just so we can have less "have to's".  I don't take summer's off for school.  We do it all year round, but I DO find other things that I can't do in the winter.  Hikes, picnics, trips to the amish community, treasure/scavenger hunts, walks, and of course, swimming at grandma's!  These are all things I use to 'teach'.  Sometimes, it is just teaching social graces and other times they are used for valuable science lessons!  If you have read my blog long enough, you know that sitting at a table or desk for school is not my style!  All my kids who are old enough, read, write, and know math!  My oldest surpass all the life skills they need at 16 and 15!  (Not saying that to brag, just a point I want to make).  Teaching them to how to live in this world is far more important, than any knowledge a school book can give!  (Although there is a small place for that too).  Discovering all of God's creation and looking at it with their siblings is a great learning experience!  (Believe me, boys can think of all kinds of things to with rocks, sticks, and some rope!)  And what one does not think of, the other one will! ;0

I choose, not to get uptight about things that need to be done in the summer.  God is teaching me to take one moment at a time.  If that means less blogging, which it has, then I will blog when I feel like it or have time!  Bedtimes not quite so prompt, nap times sometimes just go out the window.  MORE time with family and savoring my children at each stage becomes my priority.  My oldest just got his driver's license this week, and not so long ago, I thought that would NEVER happen, surely the rapture would come before that!  (and I still wish that were the case!  :)  I know there were summer's that I did not apprectiate his carefree day's of just being with mom and no where he HAD to go!  Now, he is away working many days and I am trying to learn from that and apprecitate all the "flowers" (weeds) topped off with a kiss, brought to me by my little ones.  The joy of just going to the park to slide and swing, the excitement a caterpillar can bring and the amazement a slimy frog jumping in the grass brings! 

So, am I busy this summer?  Well, I guess.  But I am hoping I am just as 'busy' this fall realizing how wonderful it is to have kids and how to not take any simple moment for granted!  All to soon, they grow up and then I will hopefully teach them how to enjoy every moment of their 'business'. 

I would not have it any other way!  May I always be BUSY!

This is the part that scares me!

Life with boys...

This is the part that I don't think I will EVER get used to!

What I am not...

~ I am not always easy-going, in fact I need to loosen up sometimes

~ I am not easily swayed when I have my mind made up

~ I am not used to the surprises 8 boys bring into my life even after 16 years of having my first son and sometimes they down right scare me!

~ I am not a summer person

~I am not ready for my oldest to get his driver's license THIS WEEK!

~I am not a person who likes change

~ I am not liking the way the Land of the Home and The Free is getting not so FREE anymore and it worries me!

~ I am not a breakfast eater

~ I am not a good debater

~ I am not a complainer

~ I am NOT pregnant again! (yet)

~ I am not as submissive as I desire to be

~ I am not able to just let things go if I think I am right

~I am not always stubborn, just the times when I know I am wrong and still try to convince somebody I am right

~I am not proud of that!

~ I am not always patient and with 11 children, my patience is tested moment by moment and it is a battle for me!

~ I am not proud of that either!!

~ I am not always sure of my parenting ablilities and have lots of regret already

~ I am not always able to keep my mouth shut when I should!

~I am not self-less all the time, in fact, I can be very selfish more often than not

What I AM:

Although some things I mentioned are not a big deal and some are life altering,  I AM a child of God and all the things that I am not, HE IS (okay, He is not pregnant, but He is the giver of life!  :) 

 So I will continue to look to Him for all that I need and let HIM do the rest!  It really does not matter what I am not as long as I focus on who HE IS!

Someday, when this journey on earth is over, I will look Him in the face and He will hopefully say to me, "Well done, my good and faithful servant!" 

I am not deserving of that...

...but

I AM thankful for His grace!

A year in review!

The BABY turns 1 today!


From laying and nursing in my arms,
to drinking and feeding yourself.

From crying for mom
to saying, "mommy, mommy," when you need me

From sleeping 20 hours a day and waking every 3 hours to nurse (with mom needing a nap!)
to sleeping 12 hours at night with 2 naps a day (and mom STILL needing a nap)

From being cuddled constantly
to mommy trying to catch a cuddle when I can

From staying in one place
to being chased with those little legs walking as fast as you can

From little smiles
to out loud giggles

From only breast milk
to avacadoes and pizza

From not knowing your brother's and sister's
to running to them (or away from)

and...

From being born from my body
to now an irreplacable place in my heart

Today,
I celebrate you!
I love watching your sweet little personality come to life!

I love you my little man!
HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY!

Another Birthday girl!

Another teenager roams our home and I love it!

Today, my energetic, fun-loving, full of laughter, middle daughter turns 13!
The past year, she has gone from little girl to a very mature young lady!
Can't wait to see what God has in mind for the coming year!
She is a joy and a blessing to all of us!
How blessed we are!

A week of Birthday's

This is the week our bank account suffers!
But not our hearts!
And where your treasure is there your heart is also!
Our treasure is our children!

To start the week off, Saturday we celebrated our 15 year old's birthday!

I could not be more proud of this beautiful girl!
I cannot believe how God has developed her heart into the loving, God fearing young lady that she is!
God has already called her to the mission field and she is already getting lots of practice caring for all her little brothers!
I am thrilled to see what God is going to do in her life in the coming year.
In 1 year, she has taught herself the spanish language and can speak in fluently, in preperation for her call to be a missionary!
God is already blessing her with the funds to go on a mission trip next year as she surrenders her will to do HIS will!
It is so exciting to watch her trust in God for everything and the blessing of her seeing His ability to provide!

My sweet, full of God and full of life, daughter!
You are such a gift to our family and I love you so much!

Foto Friday~ What in the world?

I took this strange picture the other day. Can you figure out how I did it and what is going on?

 

The answer:

We have an alley right beside our dining room window and the cable company was working on someone's cable and the van was parked right by the window and our boys were very interested to say the least! 
This is how the picture turned out. I thought it was really fun and unusual!

Have a great weekend!