May 23rd

I’m starting this post with a big, heavy sigh. Life. There is a sense of peace in knowing that this world is broken, and that this isn’t the way God intended things to be. We might live in a broken world now, but it won’t always be that way. Even though I look forward to what is to come, I’m not in any rush to get there. This broken world is still amazingly beautiful. Maybe that’s why it bothers me then that time feels like it’s just slipping through my fingers. Here we are, on May 23rd already. We’ve almost completed 5 whole months of the year. I keep thinking it’s March!

I start with a sigh because life has been…. intense. The punches just keep coming. It’s enough to make you laugh, really. I mean, what ARE the odds? So I let out a heavy sigh and then take a big breath in, pull up my bootstraps, and just keep moving.

E got croup. I didn’t know what was going on, because we were all dealing with allergies, and then one night, he couldn’t breathe well. I took him to the ER, and they gave him some medicine to help since it was pretty bad, and by the following evening, you couldn’t even tell he’d been sick at all. He is still sniffling as his allergies finish up for the season, but the cold that triggered the croup has left. Baby Cheeks must have gotten a cold, because his nose has been all boogers for the last two weeks. At this point, I only clean it as absolutely necessary because his nose is sore and he’s sick of having it touched (poor guy).

The keys got locked in the van when Pumpkin when to start it up and get the AC going last week. Thankfully, nobody was locked in it. Unfortunately, we did have to call a locksmith to come get the van opened.

Somewhere amidst all of that, I fell on the basement steps and smashed my head into the wall pretty hard. At first I thought I didn’t get a concussion, but after getting headaches for several days, I realized I must have had a mild one. Thankfully, that’s all better. But the bruise on my behind is still there.

I still have a few chickens running loose. I can’t even begin to tell you what a nuisance it has been to try and get those caught, wings clipped and put in the run… It’s a joke, really.

One of the kids wanted to help wash the dishes the other day. I asked them not to, because some of the stuff in the sink was fragile. I went to the bathroom and heard a crack. It was my favorite mixing bowl. Not sure it can be repaired.

My sister and I were laughing about our crummy weeks, but hers lead to the hospital, and there she stays until we know what’s wrong. I can’t help but be worried for her. I know it’s going to be alright, but still. I love her and it’s hard to not be able to do something to make it better.

Some of the kids have been giving us a hard time lately. And I admit that I struggle a bit not getting overwhelmed by the noise of six kids. It’s really hard when there’s almost a chain-reaction of negative emotions. Someone makes the baby cry, then someone yells at the person who made the baby cry, and the person who made the baby cry starts crying and/or yelling, and somebody else yells “STOP IT!” over it all. That happens at least once a day. Usually when I go get dressed in the morning or go use the bathroom. And then there’s just the normal noise. 5 kids talking, a baby cooing or fussing, and why, WHY does the phone have to ring EVERY DAY while we’re reading as a group?!?!

It isn’t all bad. It’s just hard some days. It feels like there have been a lot of hard days lately, but today was mostly good aside from worrying about my little sister. I got most of the front lawn cut (before the blade stopped working). We got through school work, and I figured out which lessons we’ll still do before we stop using textbooks for the summer. I found some resources for the things we need to work on during the summer, and we are thoroughly enthralled in a good book right now. The baby’s cold seems to be getting a little better, the kids were pretty good about doing their chores, and the house doesn’t feel like an utter disaster at the moment.

In the last week I was able to get the grass cut on the back part of the yard, get the chickens moved to their final position in the new garden before we start planting, and I planted some herbs as well as some garlic in the new kitchen garden. The starts seem to be doing well, and some of the garlic has already sprouted. I want to get more planted, but I have GOT to get the chickens all rounded up first, and I need some good weather. I’m praying for good weather over Memorial Day weekend, at least for one day, and I’m hoping Scott’s allergies aren’t too bad so we can work together to plant the garden.

Scott and some co-workers started a rocket club, and they came over to our house the other day to launch rockets with the kids. I haven’t seen that big of a smile on Pumpkin’s face in a long time! Everyone but the baby enjoyed it. I’m not sure how it’s all going to pan out, but I believe they’re planning another one sometime in the next month.

The kids moved their birds out into one of the chicken tractors this week. We have to do a bit of work on the tractor yet, but their birds are happy to have more room! The chicks aren’t nearly as excited as the ducks.

Miss Lady had her first ever Violin Recital on Sunday! She’s learning the Suzuki method with a friend, and she played Ice Cream Cone Twinkle. (It’s Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star to a specific rhythm.) I couldn’t believe how excited she was or how she wasn’t nervous at all. And a few days later, she lost her third tooth. As she stated it “It just popped out when I was folding my laundry!”

We went to one of the local libraries for the first time in months last week… met up with my older sister and her youngest. Then we went to a museum where her kids’ school had a display of artwork containing a piece by every student. And after that we went to her house to visit. We used to get together almost weekly when our oldest boys were little, but it’s been years since we’ve be able to do that, and we seldom do it at all these days.

This week, we ended up being able to meet up with some friends at Bookworm Gardens for a little while. That too, was much needed. The kids were thrilled to see their friends unexpectedly, and I got to talk to my friend, too. After that we had violin lessons, and then we went to the bookstore. I hesitate taking the kids into stores much these days because it can be pretty overwhelming, but they had high incentive to be cooperative.

The kids wrapped up with R.E. classes last week, and this week was the final week of German lessons (and I was able to visit with another friend… I’ve needed a lot of time with other Moms recently….). I have to finish putting together a short movie of their project, and then we are hoping to have a “viewing” next week. I’m glad to have the kids involved in both of these things, but I’m looking forward to being done for the summer. I just need a break!

And now that May is wrapping up, it’s time to start thinking more seriously about the summer…

Love~Danielle