Thankful Thursday

Spring Break Week!

Today I'm thankful:

1. Daughter (#6) was saved on Sunday night! So happy. So very happy! And on her 7th birthday! What a privilege to share with my own kids about the hope we have in Christ. Salvation from sin, life everlasting and eternity in heaven with Jesus. Not to mention the peace, the life-purpose, the certainty that God in sovereign over all things.

2. A week off school! Let's hear it for sleeping in!

3. A week with the Coach home (for the most part). Things are so GOOD when Daddy is home.

4. Great camping trip for the Coach and the five oldest kids. They had FUN! Repelling, hiking, listening to ghost stories around the campfire. And I've gotten quickly into the habit of saying, "I don't want to hear about it." The three dads and 18 kids make great memories, but the sanitary conditions are not something I'm needing to know.

5. Potty training progress with Little Man. For those of you out there who are also working on this major toddler milestone - a reminder - YOU are the one being trained - make no mistake!

6. Hair cuts. For the little girls. So cute! (Little Man is cute, too, especially with that band-aid on his forehead.)

7. Daffodils. Pretty. Cheerful. Springy. Happy. :-)

Happy Thursday!

I do solemnly promise. . .

I've been working on a post here for awhile. Like maybe a week? Or two? I've lost track.

Pictures of some of the big and fun things going on here at the troops.

Although I confess to missing completely the countless photo opportunities that having sweet cousins here last week brought. Ugh. You'd think I had something to do besides take pictures. Should have given the camera to Little Man.

Anyway, I'll get it done. Maybe today. Maybe not.

But I realized this morning that I hit somewhat of a wall.

After yesterdays canceled plans with friends (so disappointed - such a bummer) due to Daughter #7's sudden fever, the fabulous housekeeper that Mom sent (and who I have decided should move in. definitely.) The waiting for the phone call from our wonderful Pediatrician regarding some concerns he found at Daughter #7's check up on Tuesday. The constant battles we are fighting with Daughter #6 regarding eating. Anything. At. All. And school. Which she has decided she doesn't care for much. And did I mention the potty training? Which goes remarkably well when I actually remember to TAKE Little Man to the potty now and then. Sigh.

Then the need to get out this morning in the lovely sunshine and go to the bank. (While listening to Little Man holler, "I don't LIKE the sunshine!" over and over) And get some groceries. Because Son #4 made up a song this morning while packing his lunch, "A sandwich and some chips. . . that's all I have for lunch. . . a sandwich and some chips. . . no granola bars. . . " It was entertaining, for sure. But it made this mom feel kinda guilty. And dinner. . . I guess we need something for dinner. . .

When all I'd rather do is hang out in my clean house. And stay in my sweats. And cuddle on the couch with the kids and eat cereal.

And maybe get on the treadmill. Because I should. And I feel better when I do.

I guess my point here is this. All of the lovely ideas (and thoughtful ones) I have for posts don't usually materialize because LIFE is happening here. Each and every day. Sometimes a lot of FUN. Sometimes a lot of HARD. But it's life. And it's ours. And we love it. Well, most of the time I do. I will admit to walking out on Monday, but I came back.

So my promise? It's not to provide you with constant entertainment, inspiration, deep spiritual challenges or snapshots of our family taken by the 2 year old. Although I'd love to do that!

My promise is to simply be real with you. Which sometimes means NOT posting because life has sucked me in and is eating my lunch. Whew.

And maybe that promise is what will get me past the wall with writing here at Mrs. Troop. And maybe even the wall that is ahead of me, today. Remembering my purpose here is to be thankful. And joyful. And to see life as an adventure, guided by the loving hand of my Lord. With a lot of Chick-fil-A lunches with Granddad thrown in.

That? I can do.

Maybe AFTER the bank and the groceries, the treadmill and lots of trips to the potty with Little Man, I'll finish up that post I've been working on.

In the meantime? Happy Thursday!

Because I always wanted a big family. . .

I love kids. (I'm partial to babies, but I keep loving them even when they grow up.)

I know sometimes I gripe and complain about what a mess they make or how much they eat (because GOOD GRIEF they eat a lot!).

But the honest truth is that I love them. All I ever wanted to do as a little girl was grow up and be a mommy. Didn't really care about a husband, at that point, but somewhere along the way that became a dream, as well (it's a good thing!).

So what I'm saying, I guess, is that I'm living the life I always dreamed of.

In all it's sticky, messy, sleep-deprived, dirt-covered and tear-stained glory. With lots of diapers thrown in.

And I wouldn't trade it.

THIS week, however, I have the special blessing of caring for 10 kids all week. My eight plus two cousins. No, I won't get to keep them forever. But I do love them like my own and we are having FUN so far! Cousins are the best gift for kiddos. Right after bunches of siblings. And we have bunches of both!

Having two extra little ones has given me an excuse to cancel extra activities, cuddle on the couch and eat mac and cheese. Lovely results, don't you think?

It's fun having a one year old, again - makes Little Man seem HUGE. And having Little Man's closest cousin here (they are 10 days apart) has made me realize a few things. Most of which have to do with how much better behaved the cousin is. (sigh) We are doing some great training for learning to be kind, not throwing things, sharing. . . you get the idea. Not to mention the fact that Little Man keeps calling his cousin his "sisser". HA! Poor guy - he's surrounded by little girls! Good thing he has a BOY cousin his age to play with!

The niece and nephew, however, have been the example of good behavior. Unlike Little Man who spent the entire two hours of naptime being put back into his bed while trying to sneak into one of the other napper's rooms. (sigh, again)

The fun part? Having the high chair occupied, again. Having a baby to hold and feed and cuddle with (and watching the kids do the same). Watching the older kids play with the little ones and help out. I love it.

I guess if we can't always have a baby at the troops, at least we can borrow cousins for a few days at a time!

Happy Monday!

Thankful Thursday

Woke up this morning FEELING Monday.

The kids were out of school, yesterday, following our amazing school banquet on Tuesday night. Now the days of the week feel completely OFF. I even started to do some of my "Monday List" things. Odd.

It doesn't help that I had the kids do some of the "Saturday" list, yesterday (since they were all home) and the Coach was home, too. And we did baths last night for the little ones. So that would make today Sunday, except it's not. I may never figure it all out!

The good news is - tomorrow is Friday! Yeah!

For today, though~

1. Healthy kids. Such an unexpected blessing at the troops this time of year!

2. FUN timeline presentation with Daughter #5 on Monday. LOVE having those - and love having them DONE. She's a sweet girl with a wonderful teacher. So blessed.

3. Great school banquet Tuesday night. We are blessed to be a part of the "family" that is our school. Well, and half of them literally ARE our family.

4. New storm door on the new back door, as of today. YEAH! Means I can have a breeze on the two or three perfect days each year and will be so nice for the kids coming in and out without bugs joining them on the way in in the Summer!

5. A freshly cleaned washing machine. The LARGE washer and dryer are wonderful - the scum that the washer grows, not so much. Been awhile since I've tackled that and WOW - it's much cleaner.

6. Son #1's Science Fair project almost done (and next week on my list will be that it IS DONE). (sigh) Not my favorite required part of schooling - but it builds character, right?

7. House is rather clean. Well, maybe not clean. But it's picked up. And vacuumed. And we're going with that, today!

8. Dinner made for tonight. Do you ever cook a big turkey and then make three or four meals out of it? Such a sense of accomplishment.

Just so much to be grateful for! I know you probably read this list and think, "Yeah. Whatever. None of that is a big deal." But it is. We are so blessed and have so much to thank our Heavenly Father for. Even if all you can think of is the gift of another day to learn more about Him.

So Happy Thursday. Or whatever day it is.

Leave me a comment and tell me what you are grateful for today!

Thankful Thursday

I know it's Friday. Well, at least I do now.

Somewhere between morning and afternoon I started thinking it was Thursday. Weird.

I am, however, going to pretend for a minute that it is Thursday and do my thankful list.

1. Date night. Can't remember when our last date night was - it's been awhile. A long while. I'm ready for some time with my Coach.

2. A new back door with a WINDOW in it by my laundry room. Ahhhhh. Light. Yes, I have pictures.

3. Newly adjusted and smoothly running treadmill. So nice.

4. Completing my very first "race" last Saturday. 5 miles. I survived. And enjoyed it. And didn't finish last. Hurray!

5. Presidential Tea with Son #4 successfully impersonating Grover Cleveland. Mustache and all. And yes, I have pictures!

6. Much healthier Son #1 after blood work, x-rays and discovering mysterious pneumonia. Hmmmm. An injection and two z-pacs later, he's much improved!

7. Timeline for Daughter #5 *almost* done. Nothing like waiting until the last minute. It's been SO fun to look at all of those pictures of my sweet babies. (sniff)

8. A visit with one of my former sweet sitters who is in town for the weekend. Miss her so. Happy we can catch up a bit!

Well, I'm sure there is more, but Daughter #6 is waiting for me to play Othello with her. Off I go!

Happy Thursday. I mean Friday. Whatever.

Valentine's Day. . . in real life

Happy Day after Valentine's!

We had a busy weekend.

The Coach apologized for the fact that there just wasn't time for a date night.

Friday was homecoming at school, Saturday we celebrated Daughter #2's THIRTEENTH birthday, after he supervised our crazy household in the morning so that I could walk 9 miles. Sunday there was church, Sunday school, my afternoon Bible study with the sisters-in-law, a sick kid, homework to catch up on and groceries to buy for yet another week of crazy.

You know what I told him?

One day in the year being special does not a good marriage make.

The truth? He makes every day special.

I know he loves me - not just because he tells me so - but because every day he SHOWS me by working hard to provide for us, helping me by fixing and fixing UP things around the house. Helping with dishes and in the kitchen, motivating kids to do their chores. Supervising math homework every night, praying in three different bedrooms at bedtime every night. He studies God's Word to be the best man he can be, the best husband, the best father, the best teacher. He laughs with my kids, plays football in the yard and basketball on the court with them. He gives them good counsel, kind correction. He never (never ever once) complains about a meal, the house, the laundry, my exhaustion. Never. He smiles at me all of the time. He teases the kids and makes them laugh when they get frustrated. He tells me he's grateful for me. For God's provision. For the kids. He talks with me about what is in his heart. What he desires to see God do in our family. He comes home every evening and weekend seeking to be ALL here. He spends every "spare" minute with us, enjoying the kids and loving me so faithfully.

I'm telling you. . . it doesn't take a "special" Valentine's Day date to love a man like that.

We'll get our date night here before too long.

In the meantime I'll just keep enjoying LIFE with my Coach.

And the fact that my heart still beats faster when he walks in the door.

It's all good.

Just. . . not. . . getting. . . it . . . all. . .done.

Do you ever read a verse in the Bible and feel like you're reading it for the very first time? Even if you've memorized it and read it many times, before? This happens to me a lot these days. I'm pretty sure it's because my memory is going (something to do with those nine pregnancies, you think?).

One of my favorite "habits" - I have a few good ones and many bad - is reading my Bible before I go to sleep. A few nights ago I came across this familiar passage:

Galatians 6:9
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.

And this one:
II Thes. 3:13
But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

I don't know about you, but I'm weary. In well doing. Seriously.

Do you feel like you clean the kitchen 100 times a day? Fold clothes and fold clothes and fold clothes and put away clothes and put away clothes. . . ?
Cook healthy nutritious meals over and over, again (and yet they keep getting hungry!)?
Bathe kids over and over? Lotion over and over? Cut nails, clean ears, comb tangled hair?
Put in pony tails, wash faces, apply band-aids and/or ice all day long?
Not to mention the never-ending grocery list, to do list, school project list?
Then there are the attitudes that need corrected. . . the discipline that needs to be applied over and over. . . the reminders. . . the teaching, training. . . over and over and over, again?

Weary.

This verse reminded me that what I do IS "well doing". Caring for the family God has blessed me with is all good. It's my job, my calling, and truthfully? It's all I WANT to do. Most of the time.

So this week, when I only had time to vacuum and the dust is piling up. . .
I only had time to have the kids wipe bathroom counters and clean mirrors and the tub still needs a scrubbing. . .
I only had time to sweep the floors and they seriously need a good mopping. . .
I washed and folded clothes, but they aren't put away, yet. . .
I fixed "fast" meals because I have been short on time. . .
I've let kids go to school with hair sticking up. . . nails that need cleaned. . .and no shorts under their skirts (please don't tell).
I got the meal planning and grocery shopping done then realized I hadn't included items for school parties and a soon coming birthday. . .
(Wow. It's amazing how much better I feel confessing all of this. HA!)

Instead of feeling like a failure because I don't have it all together or get it all done or do it all perfectly. . .

I'm going to persevere. I'm going to remember that this is "well doing" this mommy job of caring for the troops.

I'm going to purpose to not grow weary. I know I'll still be tired. Always am. But I'm going to purpose to not lose heart (that's the real kind of weariness) and keep on keeping on.

Because. . .after all. . . I'm not trying to grow a perfect house, perfect meals or perfect organization in this life. . .

I'm trying to grow kids who love God and love others.

"for in due season we shall reap if we faint not."

May the Lord strengthen your faint heart today and give you His strength to keep on doing well.

Think I'm going to go tackle the dust! Or maybe just let Daughter #7 practice her letters in it. Hmmm. . . .

Happy Thursday!