Catching Up

I have a habit.  When I can't sleep . . . I pray. . . and then if I'm still awake, I write blog posts in my head.

The biggest problem with this is that most of them never make it to the actual blog.

It is what it is (as the Coach would say).

The Coach and I had a fabulous weekend ALONE.  Wow.  That seems like forever ago.  And it wasn't.

We had another week of school, Daughter's (#6) 10th birthday, Spring Break, and just last night, Little Man's SIXTH birthday.

That's my baby.

Who is six.

Sigh.

Life is moving at a crazy pace.  It's busy, fun, overwhelming, and usually LOUD.  We are blessed.  And tired.  And trying desperately to ENJOY the moment and not just hang on for dear life.

Or maybe just enjoy hanging on for dear life.

Over Spring Break we had a mini "cousins camp" at the farm house with some of the younger cousins and their parents (the Coach's siblings).  Ranger rides, bonfires, Dutch Blitz, ping pong, and lots of yummy food.

When we settled back in at home, we took the troops to a Thunder game (so fun!), cleaned out closets, found/bought sandals for the girls, did some shopping for Daughter's (#2) Spring wardrobe, and the Coach and the boys worked in the yard.  And watched lots of basketball.

The three oldest boys took cousins and a friend to the farm for a one night campout.  They came home early, tired, and smelling of . . . outdoor smells.  Yay.

We slept in.  And stayed up late.  Ugh.  We watched basketball, Hoosiers, Vertigo, and episodes of Monk that none of us remembered (we've seen them ALL!).

It feels good this morning to be back to our normal routine. Even though I'm bleary eyed and struggling to get my head around what needs to be done first.

Easter program this week, then choir tour for the older two, a nephew's wedding, Son's (#4) THIRTEENTH birthday.  Yikes.  School-wide community service project, a girls' beach trip (for 40th birthdays - mine, included), JSB, 6th grade DC trip for the Coach and Son #4, and the Memorial Half Marathon for Son (#3) and me.  All in April.  Ha!

And this week?  Visits from the aunts.  Which ALL of the troops are excited about!

It's so easy, at this stage of life with older kids, to just constantly think, "OK.  Get through the next thing."  Birthdays, trips, projects.  Just bearing down and getting it done.  Because it's a lot of plain ole WORK.

But my heart's desire is to ENJOY it.  Not just survive it.  Although sometimes surviving seems questionable.

Purposing to ENJOY today.  And tomorrow.  And the rest of it.

Grateful for the Giver of Life ABUNDANT (don't you love that word?)!

Happy Monday!