Well, four of the five kiddos started school last week. So hard to believe....Grace is in 3rd, Elizabeth in 2nd, Seraphina started 1st and sweet little Jonah ventured into Pre-K for 3 mornings a week.
I always have high hopes of being fully prepared for school in plenty of time. This includes having the children's bodies acclimated to getting up early. Well, this pregnancy has all but kicked my butt this first trimester so my best laid plans.....yes, foiled again! It was a rough week last week. Everyone got up fine, even made it out the door early. But by the time they came home, we were all serious grumps. I couldn't get dinner on the table. Brian got called home early a couple days to a war zone. And the house, well, at least it's been sanitary....mostly. That's about it. I like to say, we crash landed into this school year.
So here we are in the middle of a long holiday weekend! Yay! A much needed opportunity to catch our breath and hope for a better week. I just got up from a nap. After I woke up I just laid there thinking about the half dozen blog posts I've written in my head over the past weeks. It's frustrating when you feel like you can't take time for the things that matter. For me, logging my thoughts really matters. It's a way of taking care of myself even if no one else ever reads them.
It seems like lately I'm always abandoning my amazing husband to either take a nap, lay on the couch 'cause I'm too sick for anything else, get something to eat, or use the bathroom facilities for one thing or another. Even now, I humbly requested that I retreat to the basement (where our computer resides) to get some thoughts out of my cluttered brain. He's cooking dinner (apple oatmeal).
Speaking of apples, this morning we made time to take an annual trip to Paulus Orchard for some apples. Last year we canned 80 quarts of mostly applesauce and some apple butter. It makes me chuckle to think about the ways I've morphed into a central PA girl. Born and raised in the D.C. area, I was clueless what my college roommate was lining her shelves with our freshman year. Turns out it was pickled veggies, applesauce, peaches and pears among other things. So why do they call it 'canning' when it's really jars that display the final product? Whatever. All I know is that our applesauce give Motts a run for it's money!!!
This year's trip to the orchard was highlighted with the treat of an apple cider donut, freshly made this morning! Yummers! What a gorgeous day to spend some family time gathering apples and munching on goodies! These are the days when it is easier to say "Yeah. I'm a pretty good mom, taking time to build memories with my beautiful children." Most days, I wonder if I will even remember these "happy blur of survival" days...sigh...So glad Jesus sees things differently and doesn't judge us based on our trips to the orchard or the library for that matter (it took me about 5 years to even have the courage - or energy - to step foot into a library with my kids).
Well, 12 weeks prego tomorrow. I Look like I'm about 20 weeks. But why do I care? Probably because I feel chronically tired and hormonal and I'm actually ready to look cute prego and not chubby. Oh, yeah, muffin tops are beautiful. Who said that anyway?
I must admit, I am VERY thankful to Jesus that I have felt well enough to be able to resume running 3 times a week. I have a rare opportunity 3 days a week to bond with my almost 3-year-old, Timothy. As the other four walk out the back door for school, he says "wait, wait! I go gool too!" So, instead, we load up the jogging stroller that was given to me and go for a run. Well, truth be told, I've only run with it twice because the alignment is so bad, my shoulder and arms were hurting just from trying to keep it going straight. So we will walk for now until I can get my super mechanical father-in-law to take a look at the stroller. At least I can still get out, and with only one kiddo! He is so fun, but truly isn't sure what to do without his partner in crime, Jonah, around to keep him busy.
Wow. I'm feeling a bit lighter now. At least in the head. So much to be thankful for. So much humanity to negotiate. So grateful for Grace and unconditional Love!
1 comment:
i havent read a blog in years, let alone taken the time to write one. I am in awe...good for you for taking the time to care for yourself in a way that matters to you. I hear all of what you are saying and I only have 3! And you are right, the family won't remember the messy house or the weird concoctions of dnner, but they will remember the trips to the apple orchards. =) At least I comfort myself with the same thoughts.
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