Busy, busy, busy

We've been soooo busy as is the custom with the month of May. Every May seems to be just the same, crazy busy! So far we have hosted friends a time or 4, had Mother's day at our house, are hosting a baby shower tomorrow night and a 30th birthday for my sis next week (love ya Abs, but I'll always be younger, ha! :)). We've weeded, planted, preened, ebayed, finished school, went to a HS convention to name a few others with even more activities for the second half of the month than the first. I love people and I love parties so it's all good!

I think it's easy on blogs to talk about all the nice rosy thing that are happening so just to keep it real I'd like to take this opportunity to list the other things that we have been doing lately. I do this to be authentic but also as a record to my children so that someday when they are parents they will see that they were just as needy as their own kids are. ;) I also want to remember what it was really like when my kids were little. I think it could be an easy thing to forget and I want to remember.

A Sample day:

Wake up

Read Bible/pray to the tune of the screaming 1 year old. It seems that I just can't beat him in the morning. The earlier I wake up the earlier he does, it's like he has a radar system or something.

5 yr old wakes up and interrupts. Isn't it hard to "be spiritual" while saying, "puleese be quiet, I'm trying to spend time with God"? It just seems funny after saying it a time or 10. Your concentration is totally lost and it's just funny.

Send the 5 yr old slave to play with screaming one year old b/c he's starting to sound a little desperate.

Finish getting ready which does not include showering. I used to think it was gross to not shower daily and maybe it is, but that was B.C. (before children). It's just a waste of time, not to mention a gold mine for mischievous kids. :)

Check on 1 yr old and 5 yr old to be greeted with the most horrendous stench of your life. Pick up one year old and realize something is desperately wrong. Change diaper. See poop. See poop on clothes, onesie, changing pad and your fingers and soon to be flung onto floor. Gag and almost toss the breakfast you haven't had yet. :) Scrape off child and rush him to bathtub.

Oh, I forgot to mention, the day started with 5 yr old waking up at 6 a.m. b/c of a nightime accident.

Put all children in tub as 3 yr old has awakened.

Bathe children.

Put in second load of laundry. I had already put Sophia's in the laundry earlier. Almost barf yet again.

Have breakfast which is a very messy feat in and of itself.

Read to children. While reading hear clanging sound in kitchen. Look over to see one year old sitting at table. See salt. See salt on table, chair, floor, and child. Clean salt. Forget what you are doing. Walk around house in stupor while someone is yelling for help in the restroom and someone else is getting into something else and calling your name. Insert line, "there's only one Mommy" or "just a minute" or "I'll be right there, I have to help so and so first". :)

Eat lunch somewhere in there. Revel in the filth that covers the floor. And we thought the house was left dirty by the forclosed homeowners. That was CLEAN compared to now. Wonder why you don't care about floor and why everything is sooo messy. Remind self that "cooking and cleaning can wait, but children don't".

Go to park and watch as children mercilessly try to step on bugs and butterflies and chase a poor baby bird away from his mother so they can "catch him". Slide down slides and have fun. Enjoy the fact that one year old can easily manuver the playground. Him being active has its perks. :)

Walk children home as two older ones start to cry and fuss all the way home because one was up way.too.early and the other is ready for a nap.

Corral and get everyone into their beds. Dress baby in t shirt and diaper because it's hot. Sit down to rest for a minute and hear said baby crying. 5 yr old is up. Spend time with her doing a craft project for baby shower. Baby cries louder and louder. Time to check on baby.

Go into baby's room see diaper. See diaper on floor. See peepee everywhere including sheet, crib, bumper, blankets, all over baby who is very unhappy about his state. Give baby another bath.

Make dinner, etc., etc., etc. The rest is a blur. There was a lot more in there, but I can't remember it all.

Snuggle sweet sleepy baby before bed and wonder what you would ever do without him. Tuck in big sister and wonder how she got to be such a big girl. Go downstairs and be thankful for some quiet time...oh wait, did someone want a drink of water? Haha, no one really asked me for water, they asked Daddy. :)

Mommyhood can be craziness, but it's good. Like we learned tonight, it's the WORK God has for me and it's a great job. To all the Mommy's reading, you're doing a great job. It's hard work, and it seems pointless and is demanding sometimes, but it is important. My last secret pal was such an encouragement to me. She would often write and say, "you're doing a great job". Sometimes a Momma just needs a little encouragement. You aren't the only one with rammy kids, a messy house, and shriveled up peas under your kitchen table. Just caring for your children and teaching them by your life about loving God is so important. They see an example through our everyday care of them even if you aren't doing anything but the daily tasks that make up life. This is life and life is good because this is what He wants me to do and it is important.