A Week, Briefly (8/6/18)
In order to remain true to my title, I will simply say that this week was wretched.
It was hard.
It was frustrating.
It was exhausting.
I don't want to live through another like it . . . but next week is shaping up to be similar (with the exception of Sir Walter Scott's and my 20th wedding anniversary smack dab in the middle).
There were, of course, some joys:
Mister Man got his new glasses!
We watched a luna moth emerge from its cocoon (and we kept my little boys from killing it).
We finished all of our annual eye appointments!
(Dental visits start in 2 weeks, but I'm going to revel in the eye doctor accomplishment as long as I can.)
Sir Walter Scott has worked an incredible number of hours this week, but as he finished his class last week, a weight has fallen off his shoulders, and he seems 5 years younger.
My parents stopped by for a surprise visit on Tuesday afternoon, and their attention to the kids was a treasure.
Belle harvested beets at the farm. (Did I record the triple stings she got while prepping the strawberry beds last week? Apparently there was a nest of some sort in the straw, and when she accidentally raked it over, the bees came out to defend their turf. Belle swelled up and ached around all of the sting sites for about 24 hours--in spite of our use of plantain leaves--but she recovered and went joyfully back to her farm work.)
We went swimming with friends--3 mamas and 21 children. The lone man who beat us to the pool and was quietly swimming laps simply got out of the water and walked away when we arrived.
The teens attended a lot of birthday parties.
The littles attended one birthday party.
We went to the spray park for our final Friday Park Day with our church friends because school starts next week for the local public schools. However, for us it's going to take at least another week to get our ducks in a row . . . possibly two.
I spent most of my days away from the family as a whole, attending to the needs of one child at a time. Belle did the majority of the babysitting (she deserves an award), and one afternoon I came home to this:
At least they're happy and creative . . .
It was hard.
It was frustrating.
It was exhausting.
I don't want to live through another like it . . . but next week is shaping up to be similar (with the exception of Sir Walter Scott's and my 20th wedding anniversary smack dab in the middle).
There were, of course, some joys:
Mister Man got his new glasses!
We watched a luna moth emerge from its cocoon (and we kept my little boys from killing it).
We finished all of our annual eye appointments!
(Dental visits start in 2 weeks, but I'm going to revel in the eye doctor accomplishment as long as I can.)
Sir Walter Scott has worked an incredible number of hours this week, but as he finished his class last week, a weight has fallen off his shoulders, and he seems 5 years younger.
My parents stopped by for a surprise visit on Tuesday afternoon, and their attention to the kids was a treasure.
Belle harvested beets at the farm. (Did I record the triple stings she got while prepping the strawberry beds last week? Apparently there was a nest of some sort in the straw, and when she accidentally raked it over, the bees came out to defend their turf. Belle swelled up and ached around all of the sting sites for about 24 hours--in spite of our use of plantain leaves--but she recovered and went joyfully back to her farm work.)
We went swimming with friends--3 mamas and 21 children. The lone man who beat us to the pool and was quietly swimming laps simply got out of the water and walked away when we arrived.
The teens attended a lot of birthday parties.
The littles attended one birthday party.
We went to the spray park for our final Friday Park Day with our church friends because school starts next week for the local public schools. However, for us it's going to take at least another week to get our ducks in a row . . . possibly two.
I spent most of my days away from the family as a whole, attending to the needs of one child at a time. Belle did the majority of the babysitting (she deserves an award), and one afternoon I came home to this:
At least they're happy and creative . . .
I am sorry the week was so hard and that the next week is likely to be the same. We start school next week and I kinda wish we could wait a week or two. I have so much more that I would like to get done before the everyone's schedules rule my life, but alas, it is time. You cracked me up with the pool story of the man. HA!
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Dawn
You are doing way better than I would with 12 kids. You know one of my friends just had baby #11? The baby turned 1 month yesterday. She posted all of the baby’s 1 month stats, and I asked her if she’s going for a dozen. She laughed and said she’s not afraid to, and that she’s not doing anything permanent. She also said that her oldest is getting married on New Years Eve. I said oh wow- maybe you’ll be blessed with a baby and a grand baby at the same time. She liked that. As long as she doesn’t upstage her daughter-in-law (if that happens), I think that would be magnificent. My friend is 42 years old.
ReplyDeleteIf you don’t mind me asking- how on earth did you go through so many adoptions? (Correct me if I’m wrong, you adopted 9 and birthed 3, correct?)
As you may know, I’m getting married in 19 days. The plan was to adopt my stepchildren immediately, but since I was in a serious car accident on June 13th, the adoption was placed on hold until I am fully recovered with a doctor’s clearance. I was T-boned by a drunk driver running a redlight who was on the job in his company truck. I am so grateful to be alive. I forgive him-in the name of Jesus- but I’m still suing him. I just can’t believe it disrupted my adoption. My fiancé and I did actually “do something permanent”. I looked into adoption, and most say that there can’t be any more than 2 or 3 kids in the home already. We have 3. My accident injury lawyer is actually kind of giddy that my stepparent adoption was disrupted- yay, this means Mo Money! (Another thing for him to claim). In my eyes, no amount of money replace your kids, but they are still my kids, and I kind
Of hate to admit that I’m looking forward to that money too.
How do you go through 9 homestudies and not have life happen? That has to be anxiety inducing. How did you do it? Can you adopt overseas without an agency and just an attorney? Ugh I’m sorry for the long comment, but I do want more kids and am scared to death of being pregnant again.
I really hope your next week goes more smoothly and give Rose Red my love. 🌹
I feel like Meg now in Little Women, after she gave birth. “Oh Marmie! How did you do this FOUR times?!!”
ReplyDeleteWishing you all the best for your anniversary. Also hoping this coming week is not as difficult as the last - or that at the very least you still manage to find some joy-filled spots.
ReplyDeleteHoping this week has been better then last. You always do such an amazing job of focusing on the positive but I know the difficulties have to be so hard. I hope you have a wonderful anniversary and a joy filled rest of your week!
ReplyDeleteI've been catching up on your posts reading them backwards, Lol. I do admire how you focus more on the good than the bad and the ugly, but also your honesty about both. You're pretty amazing!
ReplyDelete