Outside my window....
a fresh canopy of green
I am thinking...
that when you go bra and underwear shopping while pregnant one is apt to quickly find, much to their amusement, that you're butt is actually much smaller than you originally thought and your boobs much bigger. Who can go wrong with that.
I am thankful....
that when hard weeks come there are always the little blessings that balance the weight of the world being felt. I'm thankful for random people at church who show up with numerous trash bags and totes of boys summer clothes. I'm thankful for a random man that saw one of our children drop entire unsipped frappachino on concrete. When store stated a replacement could not be issued random stranger man stepped up and, out of sheer kindness, paid in full for an entire new large one, as I was just going to walk away due to the nature of it being a rather rare extravagant purchase anyway. I'm thankful for people who love us and give 3 huge totes of newborn to 6 month size baby girl clothes...some still new with tags. After losing everything in basement, we are still provided for in every way. I'm thankful for a husband whose mind I never leave...who brings home bags of the right kind of ice without even asking if we're out. For older children who mow regularly, do laundry, and entire cleaning of kitchen. For all the ways they take joy in each other, thrive on being an active part of teaching and encouraging younger ones.....find just as much joy with the success of others as they learn how to read, write, run, bike ride, and accomplish life. For younger ones who know what it is to work and keep floors clean, beds made, table cleaned and wiped down. For children that know what it is to work together, pull together as a team....for a small house that can quickly and easily be managed.
I am wearing....
running and yard work clothes. Nothing quite like sporting running shorts and a tank top at 31 weeks pregnant when it's 51 degrees outside.
I am hearing....
how Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban are apparently under the impression that the highway doesn't care, the hum of a mower and little boys helping each other read.
I am pondering....
the difference of hitting a deer here vs the lone highways of west TX. When husband hits a deer early in the morning in TX, ranchers in big trucks stop to see if you're ok, your truck's ok, and how big the rack is...if it had one. When hitting a deer here people in little tiny fart cars tend to freak and stop to see if the deer's ok but never speak to you or ask about your wellbeing.
I am going....
to not think about the fact I have lost the bank card twice, my license once, forgot 10 out of 15 things on the grocery list, forgot mine and oldest daughter's hair appt, that my phone has eaten my to-do and grocery lists no less than 21 times, that our yard looks like a rogue tornado downed half of the trees, that our basement currently stands in 4 inches of water, that Noro the mouse and a few of his cousins are living happily in our bedroom and refuse to be caught or poisoned, that babies spilled red paint all over newly painted, still unmounted white kitchen cabinet doors, that both a/c and heat refuse to work...again...and we've been told entire 49 yr old heat/ac system needs replacement, there's little left anyone can do for it, and outside temps have reached as high as 86 and as low as 40 and indoor temps reached 83 and 56. I am going to forget that we are back to space heaters and window units....and how much I miss our van and going places together. I'm not going to think about that maybe this was just one of the biggest mistakes we have ever made in life. I'm not going to think about how bad I still want to go home on some days but there's no home to go home to...that my brother now lives in Austin after spending 4 yrs in LA and how I would love nothing more than to just go be near him and hang out again with him. I'm going to watch my children laugh, run through and climb trees, make forts in the branches, hear them laugh and talk and chatter endlessly as they play, and watch as they love each other, take care of each other and know nothing but joy in this place...oblivious to the hardships, as this is normal for them and their ability to adapt and overcome in joy continues to astound me. I'm going to feel our baby girl move and await her arrival as children grow excited and continually wonder out loud what she will look like and who exactly she will be. I'm going to continue to live in faith that we have a purpose here, we are accomplishing exactly that which we were brought here to accomplish, that we are doing good, that the battle that wages so fiercely against us is because the mountains we are moving and the ground we are shaking is worth all of the enemy's efforts to destroy. I'm going to live in faith that the testimony we are being given and that is being observed by others watching us will far outlive the discomforts, that because we willingly gave ourselves radically over to be used as a vessel that He is doing it right here, right now as we live out life in a tiny little house on some obscure little acre on the globe. I'm going to choose to believe that it won't be easy but it will be worth it. And....like running....the finish line is rather euphoric. I'm going to love all 11 of my children because they are all right here with me, healthy, whole and amazing people with a massive destiny and purpose in life...and they bring me absolute total unprecedented joy...even when they go spilling red paint on white doors, dumping entire boxes of oatmeal down sink drains, and doing everything they do.
I am smelling...
the sweetness of freshly mowed grass, leaves raked in piles, and honeysuckle blowing through open windows.
I am remembering....
just how much joy Pandora radio music brings. Lady Antebellum radio...hours and hours of good music while we work, without having to create our own playlist. Sometimes it's just the little things that bring all the joy.
I am noticing....
that today was "Track Testing Day" in PE to see what progress has been made. Kids are getting ready to run in local 5K Color Vibe Run....a cheaper generic version of the Color Run...on June 22nd.
We've come a long way since starting everybody. And now to finally have some fun for all the work put in! They're all running less than 10 minute miles. So proud of them all.
Grayson 3.5 miles: 34:08
Evye: 2 miles - 19:46
Aubrey: 4 miles 39:01
Garrison: 1.25 miles 10:03
Grant: 1.25 miles 10:56
Garrett: his leg is still sore and stitches don't come out until Wed. So....he'll be running again next week.
Gavin: 1 mile 9:58
Life in pics....
Sweet messages in the midst of all the messes.
All done!
...except for the backdoor. It seems to always be waiting. There's talk of completely replacing it due to total lack of any energy efficiency and wind blowing freely through open spaces. Soooo.....I might just wait on that project. Not wild about painting two doors. One is plenty, as I still have the hallway, office, and dining to tackle before moving on to bathrooms and bedrooms....and all of their doors. As of now, I'm a little bit worn out, little bit exhausted, little bit burned out and we've temporarily taken a break just to enjoy life a little bit. I'll come back to it...I always do. But, for now...just pausing a little to enjoy all that has already been done. We've come a very very long way in a rather decent amount of time.
Smores party as we work on burning all the brush, undergrowth and smaller trees. This would be the smaller more manageable fire pit. Lighting the big piles up means little kids stay on opposite side of yard.
How much I love these people. How grateful I am for how much they love each other in all of their different ways with all of their different personalities. Just one of the many ways they show it. Not only do they volunteer to wear babies....they love doing it. Shopping the big city after picking Aubrey up from an entire morning spent jumping at Defy Gravity with friends.
Afternoon down time.
2 weeks worth of bread. 24 loaves. 21.14. Not bad. Gotta love the bread store and loaves less than a 1.00 each.
The woes of yard work and boys who take their jobs seriously. Clearing the forest. He tripped over one of the hundreds of buried beneath leaves, unseen, tree stumps. 7 stitches total. A first for us to have an ambulance running code to the scene. At least daddy was the one on call who got to take care of him. It was so deep they had to flush all the leaves and tree bark out of the fat layers that were torn open and exposed. Thankful Daddy was there for that one.
Ice cream and your best buddies make anything better.
When your leg stil hurts too bad to walk. Makeshift wheelchair pushed by siblings and buddies always by your side. Yep..that's laundry in the background.
Nobody could imagine playing without him. Thanks to lots of concerned siblings he was fed, dressed and wheeled outside to just hang out while everybody played. It's just never the same when somebody goes missing. It's so amazing to me to watch them love each other...especially when one of them is feeling pain or is sick.
And yes....that really is a shopping cart. When you have an outrageous number of kids it's a humorous thing all that you are given and end up with due to attentive kids, eagle eyes, and generous, kind store managers. It still makes me laugh just seeing it. They find some very creative uses for it. From pushing it all over entire acre doing yard clean up to storing outside toys, pushing everybody around, lawn cart housing rakes, gloves, shovels, etc...and, most recently, as a rather comfy source of transportation for the wounded.
Two of the 3 redheads.
Beginning the outside project. Thinning it all out. Suffice it to say that 31 weeks pregnant, hardcore outside work, the sawing, axing, cutting and dragging of trees mixed with 3rd trimester contractions makes for an interesting experience. Maybe it means labor will be shorter due to all the practice now...or baby won't wait till a full 41 weeks to make an appearance. Given baby history I highly doubt it...but one can always hope!
You can't keep a good man down. He only lasted half a day before he couldn't stand it anymore and was back out and at it again with us. He wasn't allowed to help....much to his frustration...but he did make it out there to sit on downed trees and have some fun with us.
Now to chainsaw the downed portions into firewood.
Neighbor love. 2 new bikes! I am in awe and absolutely love how we have gone from an oddity people feared on this street to having the love and adoration of everyone around us. They are loved by so many that it overwhelms my heart.
If we cut down 53 trees why does it still look so much like a forest? The never ending projects. Trying to get it all under control. One of the 986 projects to do in this place. Daily I remind myself that any progress....no matter how slow or undetectable....is still progress in every way.
This just makes my heart happy.
All the things you're not allowed to do in the store...can now be done at home...with lots and lots of laughter!
Little bit of size difference. Little tiny two year old man in the midst of some big big trees.
Forest play.
Sooooo......that one just didn't quite go so well. This would be after oldest and I attempted to put the fence back together. Still kinda bent up....but we got it back up! Trying to make it a safer place to play. One of the many deader than dead and decaying trees, 50 ft in height, unstable in every way. On windy days they send huge chunks of upper portions raining down to earth. Fun. But...we got 3 of them down...and only took out one fence!
On the mend! Stitches come out on day 10...tomorrow!
When his hair grows out.
Pretty sweet smiles. They stripped their bed and I just didn't even want to think about putting the sheets back on for the 45th time. So...napping without a sheet. But the smile's pretty priceless.
Oh the wonders discovered when you live outside.
A picture says a thousand words.....but definitely leaves the mind to wonder. Treasures unearthed in the deep recesses of husband's side of the closet. Who can resist this man???? This collection combination definitely got a laugh and made for a few interesting texts.
Stormy, rainy nights. With over an hour of no electricity, no signs of having any again in the near future, hide and go seek has been worn out, and tons of rowdy kids the only thing left to do is....roast marshmallows in the rain!
Family fun. Group pictures to pass the time away as we hope for electricity again! Taking a wild guess as to where to aim the camera. The one lone flashlight.
And all that lurks in the darkness!
Beautiful days spent biking at the lake.
Eagle ceremony for fellow Scout. Wildlife Refuge had this girl there to represent Eagle, what it means and everything it's about. Pretty cool. The Eagle possesses a crushing grip of 2,700 lbs of force within its talon strength. The absolute amazingness of nature.
The fun of waking up at midnight for a drink and mom's on her way to the station for a breathing treatment. Who can resist riding along for that...especially when it means sitting in the bay in the midst of every little boy's love....ladder trucks, engines, rescues and ambulances. Sweet company at midnight.
2 comments:
I texted you... I had too :-)
love!
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