It's been a while!!

I'm just now getting the time to start blogging again. Whenever there is a new addition, it takes me a good month or two to get things together and get used to the new baby's likes and dislikes. It seems like everytime we add a new memeber of the family, the dynamic totally changes.

Corbin Patrick was born on September 11. I was induced on September 10 and I was determined to have him on that day, but it didn't happen that way. He is such a sweetheart and the kids are just crazy about him. We were so blessed to have family and friends bring meals for us and help us out any way they could. We are so blessed to have such wonderful, giving people in our lives.

Things have been a little crazy around here, but Heath as always has been a huge help. When he works in the evenings it is hard to survive. I have homework to oversee, dinner to cook, the assembly line of baths to give, LOTS and LOTS of refereeing to do...so by bedtime I am usually pretty pooped out. All is going to change for the better soon though. Heath was offered a job at my uncle's company. He will be selling coomputer software to companies that helps compute how much material will be needed for different construction jobs and such. He will have evenings and weekends OFF!!!! This will help so much now that more of our kids are getting into school. The Warren was a wonderful job with awesome people, but it's time for a change. He is so excited to be able to spend more quality time with me and the kids. I am thrilled for him!

He starts his new job as of November 1, so please keep us in your prayers that it's a smooth transition.

I'm ready!

Usually when it gets to this point in my pregnancy, I start to get a little nervous thinking about how I am going to deal with another baby. This time is different. I think it may be because Addie has been such an easy baby and now toddler, that I'm more excited than anything. That, and I'm just so uncomfortable and hot all the time so maybe it makes me more excited to just have the baby! It has been the 5th hottest summer on record in Wichita. It has been as hot as 108 some days and that is just the straight temperature. That's not even factoring in heat index.

I was watching my kids play together today and just observed how good of friends they are. Don't get me wrong, I break up PLENTY of fights, but for the most part they really play well together and love each other. Baby Corbin is going to be so loved and I'm looking forward to seeing the kids' reactions to him. We are so incredibly blessed to have healthy, beautiful, loving children.

They are empathetic and loving to me and Heath both. One day I was having some pretty bad pains in my belly and my hip was hurting quite a bit. They all were concerned about me and Gavin asked if Corbin was hurting me. I told him that sometimes when mommies have babies in their tummies, it hurts from time to time. Aidan asked if there was any medicine that would make me feel better and I told him the pain would go away in a little bit. Then I told them what I really needed was a massage. Immediately, Gavin got up and started rubbing my back and Jake got up and started scratching my back. What a bunch of little sweethearts!

Kids say the darndest things!

My kids make me laugh out loud on a daily basis. The other day Heath asked me if I wrote this stuff down. I really don't write down as much as I should, but I tell family and friends about it. Maybe if I can do it through blogging and bring some laughter to other people's days, than it will be easier. I usually ask at the end of all of these conversations, "Where do you get this stuff?"

Gavin: "Do we really get to sleep outside in a tent at Nana and Papa's like a real campout?"
Me: "Yes."
Gavin: "So, we get to roast marshmellows, sing songs and fart in each others' faces?"

Aidan: "Addie's pee pee is really little. When is it going to grow?"
Me: "Girls and boys have different pee pees Aidan."

Jake: "Knock knock"
Me: "Who's there?"
Jake: "Orange"
Me: "Orange who?"
Jake: "Poop in my pants."

Me: "Brody! Don't mess with that!"
Brody: "Tay, Geez!" (Okay, geez) He's only 2...

I don't have any from Addie yet, but her facial expressions say it all. Can you tell that the boys all have potty humor down to a science? They can add the word "poop" to any joke and it's hilarious to the others. I try not to encourage it, but sometimes it's just too funny not to laugh.

There goes my sanity!

Why is it that some days seem to go so smoothly? Everything is in the place that you remember leaving it, you're on time to everything, and thing just flow. And then come the days that your children keep getting up all night, you can't find your keys, one or more of the kids have poopy diapers when you're trying to get out the door, the kids won't stop arguing and fighting and won't listen to you, and then you go to cook supper and one ingredient is missing from what you were planning on fixing. It's days like these that I just go hide in my room for a little bit when my husband comes home from work.

Even though I have these tough days, it seems like something can always bring me back (at least temporarily) and make me smile and/or laugh. Today was "one of those days" and I was having a serious talk with the kids. I brought them all in the living room, sat them down on the couch and had a chat. I had gone on about how fed up I was with everyone not listening to me and not obeying me and when I got to the part where I said, "I'm going to give you a time limit and whatever is not picked up by then, I'm boxing up." It was then that my onery, charming middle child, Jake said, "Even our underpants?" The other boys looked at me to see my reaction and I couldn't help but smile. I tried so hard to keep a straight face, but it just wasn't working. The other kids roared with laughter and the more I tried to keep a straight face, the more I smiled and eventually laughed. Eventually I got my point across, but it took extreme control. I'm really worried that this is how Jake is always going to get out of trouble now.

"In raising my children I have lost my mind, but found my soul." - Lisa T. Shepherd

Time to VENT!!!

In my life, I try to be a positive person. I have a strong belief in standing up for what is right. I am getting so tired of people being so hateful to each other. I have a wide range of friends who have different beliefs from me. I think that is a good thing. We can all learn something from each other and to be honest, there are some friends that I have had discussions with and I know neither one of us will change what we believe in. That's okay, but what I really can't stand is that some people are always looking to bash the other side.

I am a registered Republican. I agree with most of what their platform consists of. I really am considering changing to an Independent. I just don't like being affiliated with a policial party. It seems a little dumb. I just vote for whoever I think will uphold the moral standards in this country. Morals are REALLY lacking it seems like.

Nobody respects each other anymore as humans. I was really disturbed watching the news the other day and saw people throwing things at each other over a new law that was just signed in. I don't agree with a lot of what is going on in this country right now, but you don't see me going crazy and calling people names and threatening peoples' lives. My power is in the voting booth. If I don't like the outcome of a race, I'll live through it. There will be another election. My purpose in my life is to try and be the best person I can and hopefully if I'm lucky enough, earn Heaven. That is my only purpose. That's it...I'm done venting :)

Balancing family and friends

Family time is awesome. Lazy Sundays are the best. Heath is usually off of work on Sundays, so that is always our family day. Although our life revolves around the kids' schedules and Heath's work schedule, we try to make time for dates and time with friends. We are so blessed to have such a great support system. It allows us to get away without feeling guilty.

Last Sunday night I got to go out to dinner with my old friends from high school. It was so good to see all of them and catch up on everyones' lives. This week Heath and I got to go out to dinner and a movie. We had been wanting to see the movie "Date Night" and it was playing in the balcony where Heath works. It was such a good movie and it related to our lives so closely! Last night one of our friends celebrated his 30th birthday, so we got to see some of our other friends that we hadn't seen in a long time. We hadn't really had time before this week to do much and starting next week, we'll be running the boys to baseball practices and game so much that we won't have time to do anything else.

Family time is by far the most important, but let's face it - if we never took time out for ourselves, we'd go crazy. It's so nice to get out and socialize with other adults. I talk to kids all day, so it's especially nice for me to feel normal :)

Taking time to breathe

I haven't blogged in so long because my life right now is CRAZY!!! I can't look at my calendar without getting a panic attack. Jake just finished up with swimming lessons, and Gavin's first baseball game out of his first tournament is tonight along with Aidan's T-ball practice. I've been taking things week by week. Aidan is on a separate team this year because he's in a different age division than Gavin now. Between both of their practices and games, it's going to be insane this summer! Not to mention we have 4 of our kids' birthdays between now and when school starts. A months after school starts we are adding a new baby into the mix!

It may sound like I'm complaining, but I'm really not. Even though it's crazy and I don't know how we'll do it when we add 2 or 3 more kids' sports into the mix, it keeps things interesting. It makes me challenge myself. I have learned that I'm going to forget about a free dress day or a show and tell every once in a while and I'm going to be okay. (More importantly, my kids are going to be okay) Even though I feel like a failure at the time, it makes me reevaluate how I'm organizing things and it makes me a better mom. I'm trying my best and that's all I can do.

Getting a thicker skin

Well, today I went to the doctor for the first time to check on the baby. I was a little nervous because I knew the comments would come. I really liked my doctor, but he proceeded to make the comments or "jokes" that I hear all the time. The one that really got to me was when he said while looking at my chart, "Oh, I was thinking you were still trying for that girl. Well this is just irresponsible. HA HA" Even though he laughed afterward, it still hurt. I came home and Heath could tell something was wrong. I told him what my doctor said and he asked me if I wanted to switch doctors. I told him I think we'd get this wherever we went. He made me feel a lot better. He told me that following God's plan is never easy and he admires me for taking these insults well.

It seems like some "pro-choice" people think they should be able to do what they want to do, but if I choose not to use birth control some people think they can make comments, letting me know they don't approve. I just needed to get this off of my chest. I get so sick of feeling ashamed for having a big family. My kids are such blessings and I should never have to feel ashamed for bringing these beautiful people into the world. God knows this world so desperately needs more selfless, caring people.

Another Blessing

Heath and I just found out that we will be welcoming another baby in Semptember of this year. Even though we weren't planning for this, we are thrilled. We truly believe that every baby is meant to be and is a blessing from God. I also strongly believe that God never gives you more than you can handle. I am flattered that He would give us another soul to lead to Heaven.

The kids are so excited, they insisted on telling my parents. Gavin said, "We are going to born another baby." My parents just looked at me with huge smiles on their face and I just smiled and nodded. Heath told his parents and they were thrilled as well. We are so lucky to have parents who support us in being this open to life.

I know some people think we are totally out of our minds to be having another baby, but if they only knew how happy our kids make us, they wouldn't think that. Our house is full of love and laughter and I wouldn't want it any other way. Imagine how much fun it will be when they are all grown and have their own families. Holidays will be a blast! We are working tremendously hard now, but I look at it as an investment in our future. They make me laugh everyday. It's not always easy (not by far), but I think they are so worth it. I've never been so happy.

Weird things I hear myself saying during the day...

As a stay-at-home mom, I go through the day correcting kids as I go about my daily routine of cleaning, cooking and making phone calls. I thought about all of the things that I say on a regular basis and I found it quite amusing.
"Jake, put some clothes on!"
"Aidan, quit licking the window!"
"Gavin, enough with the booty dance!"
"Brody, where's your diaper?"
"Addie, what's in your mouth?"
"Jake, it's 20 degrees out, you're not wearing that!"
"Aidan don't lick that!"
"Jake don't shake your booty in your sister's face. She'll be scarred for life!"
"You can play with the lightsabers downstairs."
"If you guys don't stop fighting over that toy, it's mine!"
"Don't step on your sister!"
" Watch out for Addie!"
"Brody, did you EAT POOP?!?!"
"Jake, you don't put toothbrushes in the toilet!"
"Who keeps peeing on the floor?!?!"

These are just a few. The list goes on....