Lovin' love!

Today (which is now yesterday) my heart has been flooded!  When I say flooded, I mean, the dam burst and you can hardly catch your breath, kind of flooded!  ;)  On so many levels I can't even begin to capture it and share it all!  We are all surrounded in a see of red and pink right now!  If I finish this before I fade out, because really I have no business sitting here doing this when I know I need to get up and make muffins for my birthday boy to take to school.. EEK!  But my brain is still racing and the messages going back and forth between it and my heart are just overwhelming me!  Ever have that?  If you are a woman, I'm going to guess yes, if you are a man, I'll leave the answering up to you!  lol
My weekend has been filled with many "I love you mommy's" and hugs and kisses from sweet OS #2 who turned 7 today!  His love languages are acts of service, words of affirmation and physical touch!  He was speaking loudly and letting us speak to him!  Was awesome!  I am smiling as I am sitting here (on my 2 feet strip on the left side of our king sized bed, that even when hubby is gone, I don't stray from, ever, I don't know why.. it's weird and even the boys make fun of me for it! lol) just thinking of him and his joy.  That boy, he knows what love is and how to show it!  NO DOUBT!  Without sounding a bit boastful, can I say that wherever his future wife is tonight, God is preparing her to be loved by one of the most affectionate man ever???!!!

Today, I have thought alot about what love is and what it isn't...  It isn't a feeling!  It IS an ACTION!  I can see all the love quotes that have been in my line of vision for the past week or so...  Love is patient, Love is kind, from 1 Corinthians 13:4.  Love is not affirmed by overpriced flowers and candy!  Love is not stressing out about a holiday that makes you feel like you have to do something, that you should be doing 365 days a yr!  Love is rubbing someone's back, big or small, while they throw up.  Love is the look you offer someone, with the smile that goes with it, to let them know you love them, and it will all be ok!  Love is what we are given with no strings attached from the most loving being of all time, God Himself!

Love is what I want spewing my entire being.  Even when the ugly parts seep out sometimes, I want to quickly catch that and repair any damage with love.  Love is not having to be acknowledged as being right, even when you are!  ;) (This could cover a multitude of my chinks!!! lol)  Love is ignoring flaws, even when they have the flashing light above them!  Love is that piece of me that feels absolutely accepted and wonderful just knowing I am loved by the King.  Knowing I can have every expectation in Him and never be disappointed with Him!  Love is accepting His love in return and sharing that with others!  ESPECIALLY those that live in my home, starting with STG, then all 3 OS, then everyone who comes in and out my door and in contact with me throughout my dailies!  Love is being kind when everything around screams something else!  Love is what I have with all of the men in my life, starting with God, then STG and then my OS, overwhelm me with and cause those leaky moments!!!  I am one blessed chick... and obviously, I am His favorite...  Just get used to it!  ;)  lol!!!

I don't need a holiday to remind me of all of the love in my life, but it sure does put everything into perspective.  It makes me stop and peek around the flowers, balloons (which after 11 years, STG finally believes me that there is no mixed message when I say I don't want those things on V-day or Mommy's Day, don't get me wrong, I love  me some flowers, I just much prefer a surprise!!!) and think about how blessed I have been to have all of the love I have in my life.  My relationships are rich and true and deep....  All 365 days of the year!!!  I just want to love the way He loves me and spread that out wherever He leads me!  My heart breaks for those who are hungering for love deep in their bones!  There is no greater feeling than being loved for just exactly who you are, and nothing more...  A quenching that can only be satisfied from the pure source Himself...

In love!!!!
K

Controversial Mommy...

I saw the most hysterical computer animated video the other day...  "Why I can't make mom friends.."  Funny to me in so many ways!  Seriously, out of all the mommas I know, I don't parent exactly like a single 1 of them.  I have much in common with many.  I have many differences with many more.  But, the only thing that matters to me, is that we are all doing what is best for our families.  Whatever that looks like!  PERIOD!  Short of abuse and neglect, it really isn't my place to tell anyone they are doing it wrong, based on my own theories, opinions and experiences.

In my line of work, it can be hard for me to find the balance of sharing ideas and theories of my own and full on forcing my ideas and theories.  Being a parent is the hardest thing I have ever done.  I frequently, with gusto, seek out wisdom from friends who I value their wisdom and skills!  Knowing that it is hard for me, I try my hardest to always remember that this is the hardest job for all I love too!  No matter where you are at in your parenting, it is tough!  ;)   I try to have respect for everyone, again, as long as they aren't abusing or neglecting their children.  Even in those situations, my heart has the ability to look deeper and wonder what the whole situation looks like.

My own parenting is not perfect and is always changing.  Sweet tall guy (STG from here on out, ;)  ) and I are always having to look at things and tweak our ideas.  For each sweet offspring (OS 1, 2 or 3 from here on out) ...  Since they are all different, we can't use cookie cutter parenting.  They all speak a different love language.  They all have their own personalities in which  they embrace each day differently.  I know that you all have kids that may have similarities to mine, but none just like our sweet OS...  For me to think our ways are the best for anyone us but us is just silly!  When we have conversations (myself and the proverbial any other parent! lol), I can only offer what has worked for me, what I have tried on my own kids and any of the other 100's I have worked with.  If you can use and tweak only one of my ideas wonderful!  If you don't find any worth in what I offer, fine.  Same goes for me.  When I seek advice (and even when I don't, but get it anyhow, lol) and I can use 1 lil tidbit or know it isn't for me, great!  It is important to respect each other as parents because we both have the same goal, to raise amazing adults!  Or ok, at least that's how I feel.. ;)  lol

I try not to get into debates about some of the things I deeply believe in, because I am not going to change my mind and the other person probably won't either.  I parent largely based on my childhood and things that I want my OS to have instilled and things I want to avoid...  I have gained most of my philosophies and practices since I became a parent.  (Don't you just love when someone who either doesn't have kids or one that you don't value their skills, offers their advice up??  Always a personal fave of mine! hehe)  STG and I are doing our best to keep our children out of adult therapy sessions, but we have a therapy fund started just in case!  ;)  LOL  (More wise advice from a dear friend, who happens to be an AWESOME MOTHER!!!) 

If you are doing your best, I don't care if you bottle feed your baby, never potty train them, sleep with them till they go to college, spank them, sit them in the corner, or hug and talk, do all of their chores for them, let them bring a paci and a blankey to kindergarten, whatever...  Unless of course, I am taking care of them, (which if they are doing a few of those, we probably wouldn't be a good fit for each other!  LOL! but I respect you nonetheless for keeping them alive!), the only thing that matters is that it works for you.  The ultimate goal is to get them from birth to out on their own and able to handle it along the way!  If you can smile and they smile back at you at the end of the day, I'd call whatever you are doing a success.  EVEN IF, we don't agree!  ;)

One of my jagged edges is really finding the balance of biting my tongue or sharing lil tidbits...  I also know, thanks to God alone, when the conversation must stop to avoid long-term damage to a relationship, which can happen so fast with 1 sentence spoken or typed...  Parenting issues is a constant classroom for those things.  I want to share with people, but I know I am not the be all, end all of the how to do it rights, mom.  I am passionate about children, especially my own, but I probably love your kid (or if I met them!) too!  I have good intentions.  I hope you know my heart when we talk about what to do the next time a situation arises...  ;)  Because if I know my kids.. a situation is right around the corner!  ;)

Broken, glued, and lovin' life!
K



Remember when Snow Days were fun??

***  Note to self...  Auto save on blogger is bunch of yahoo nonsense!  Before hitting send or any other button, COPY all work.  So far my most favorite blogs have been zapped.. If it happens again, will be in the "shopping for another blog mode!"   That being said.. attempt #2 at my snow day madness!  ;)

The above prayer, I'm sure, can be heard after we say our prayers together and I close their doors at night.  I remember those days.  I remember hoping and praying and asking my mom to call the school.  Okay, I remember begging her to call the school and see if we had school!  Snow days were awesome!  I remember...  I really do!  Then something changed....  I had kids...  I started a business with more kids, in our home.  Somewhere in the midst of those changes, snow days lost their appeal.  Well maybe not snow days exactly, but freezing cold days have DEFINITELY LOST THEIR APPEAL!  ;)  lol  The one good thing about rewriting this blog entry, is that today, the bigs were back at school and I have a whole new perspective on this topic!  lol

God must have thought my kids had done their fair share of praying and rewarded them with not 1 but 2 glorious days at home with the crew!  ;)  I think He went a lil' far by turning the heat off and not just down, but who am I to question Him?  lol  Ok, so I do that alot!  ;)  The thing about below 0, is that you can't go outside.  If an adult can't handle it, a kid has no business trying!  And well, the state licensing dept agrees...  Anything below 15 degrees, dig deep into the brain bank and hope you find your best energy burning ideas in there, because you "aren't allowed" to go outside!  I was digging alrighty, but the kids had dug into their own banks and had their own ideas.  There were points I felt more like the student than the teacher for the past few days!  lol  Never a dull moment...  Just 1 of many things to be thankful for!

We played games.  We cooked, baked and ate!  We danced.  We had stair races.  We froze bubbles outside (which last 4 almost 5 minutes!  LOL!).  We played the wii (If you would have told me 2 yrs ago we'd be playing video games on a snow freezing cold day (accuracy is everything!) I'd have laughed in your face!)...  We watched movies..  In fact we watched more tv and played more video games than we normally do in 3 or 4 months!  It was radonkalous!  By naptime, I was ready to pass out and they were still going strong!

Colorado kids need their outside time!  It's crucial to their development!  Ok, so that may be taking a little bit far, but really!  Our kids are used to getting outside!  The fresh air, and running around, it's what brings on the naps!!!  I live for naptime!  I know alot of people wonder how I get that many kids to sleep at the same time every day....  it's a fine art, I classify in my "survival method" handbook!  ;)  I need naptime as bad as they do.  They rest up for the remainder of the day, I get to catch up on mine.  Sometimes I clean or do laundry.  Occasionally I get to have a friend over for a late lunch and coffee.  On the RARE occasion I put my feet up and read, and sometimes I just turn everything but the lullabies and monitor off, and just defrag from our day.  It's a crazy thing.  But it;s imperative for a good day to be called good, to have a good naptime!  My own chitlins (word?  tonight it is!) know that messing with naptime is worse than getting in my purse!  I get a little hypervigilent about stomping on the living room floor (right above the mats), being loud and flushing the toilets!  Naptime hangs in the balance when the Bigs are home, and so do they!  ;)  Add to that the fact the bigs are trying to contain huge amounts of energy that they cannot seem to rid themselves of and you can see why naptime, when they are home makes me want to eat an entire bag of cadbury eggs!  ;)  lol

There is always some sweet sweet times during these impromptu snow days freezing days...  We laughed hard during Twister where the littles wanted to be like the bigs and when they couldn't, they'd just push the bigs over!  You see the littles love the bigs and they are thrilled when they are home with them all day.  It always impresses me how the bigs love and adore the littles and want to be with them too!  I love that we really are a big unusual family unit!  :)  The Bigs were super helpful and even offered for me to take a nap, "they'd watch things.." lol  I wish I could have taken them up on it!  Sleeping in until 7 didn't hurt my feelings...  Eating yummy treats and great food with my favorite people under 10 was fun and I have the extra 5 pounds to prove it!  I'm not the only one who gets the crazy baking and cooking bug when the temps drop, am I???  And I got killed a record # of times at Candy Land, which was really starting to get under my skin!  I wasn't even trying to let them win!  Man!  ;)

Yesterday morning as I was getting ready for the day I started boo hooing yet another frozen day...  And then God softened my heart to the mommies and daddies who had no where warm and safe to be with their babies.  They would be thrilled to have a warm place to let their kids mess it up, to be able to play with them and love on them and eat warm treats with them...  It hit me pretty hard...  I pulled my big girl pants up...  Went down the hall, turned the thermostat up, and thanked God for such a profound blessing...  And had a pretty funny and great day with all 8, yes 8, kids.   ;)

Last night, the kids waited and waited for the call to come in about another frozen day...  No such luck guys...  They begged me to check the district FB page (my how times change...  my mom had to call the school and wait for someone to answer, my kids asked for a FB update!  LOL!).  I happily tucked them into bed at 8:30 to ready them for school today!  I couldn't wait to get up today, pack our snack bag, go out and start the big red van and head over to open gym with the kiddos!  It was going to be great!  Cabin fever no more! 

Bigs off to school?  Check!  Snack bag packed?  Check!  Start the van?  YA BUDDY (Good girl Red!)!  Check!  Potty, shoes and coats?  Cheee...?  Where's my #3?  "Mommy, I don't feel so good...  BLECKKKKK *and other hurling noises*..."  Shoes off, turn Mr Marty on the tv.. clean up throw up...  Realize that all hopes and dreams of escaping the walls of this cabin have been dashed...  #3 and I both shed a few tears...  the borrowed kiddos were easily distracted with the long time favorite, playdough...  I even broke out the WHOLE box of accessories...  Which was awesome, because they played like sweet ladies for over 2 hours...  #3 is feeling much better, but I am overcome with cabin fever and it aint' pretty!  I learned something pretty sweet about #3 today.  He doesn't know how to live without his girls.  He missed them terribly for the hours he was quarantined and begged me with big tears after naptime, "since he didn't puke, if he could come out of his room.."  I let him.. What the heck...  He's been cooped up in the same air for 3 days already with them anyhow... 

Scrapbook lady who made this, were you spying on me or what?  That's me on the right, kids on the left...  Tomorrow is a new day...  One that promises above 0 temps once more...  I hope to make it out of the house with my kiddos, if only for an hour!  But 3 would be best! 
I'm sure I heard the boys pray again tonight for "another great snow day!"  I refrained from opening the door back up and interrupting any prayers they were saying...  It was hard, but the urge was soothed by a handful of cadbury eggs...  Immersed in hot chocolate...  ;0)  A mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do! 

Hoping you are all sustaining your weather with a smile like no other!!!
Fried and frazzed!
K