School's In 2012

People ask me constantly what I am going to do with myself now that all five kids are in school.  My first thought is to recover.  I think I had a mini-break down last night.  “Mini” because I was too tired to have a real one.  I didn’t have the energy to cry.  I just layed down and put a pillow on my head and faked sleep so my kids wouldn’t talk to me.  I am not one of those moms who is thrilled when the kids go back to school.  Yes, I will appreciate the break and will enjoy the quiet time but my Fall schedule is such that I kind of want to run away.  I physically don’t know how I am going to manage it.  I am very grateful for grandparents close by but I still have to be the one to keep the kid’s schedule in order.  We will have YouthQuake Live, dance, cheerleading, gymnastics, soccer, swimming and football as their extra-curriculars.  Then you throw in tedious, detailed homework and projects, plus Ed’s therapy appointments for his toe-walking. People frivolously tell me to cut things out that the kids are involved with.  I think to myself is it really fair to cut their activities that they love because I had a large family?  My guilt will not allow me to punish my kids for my choice to have five kids.

 

My first order of business is to find my own daily routine. I have always faithfully maintained a quiet time and it has become my secret for survival.  Almost a year ago, I began listening to God and typing out what I feel like he is saying to me.  I am pretty ticked that I waitied until I was in my 40’s to start doing this.  I always feel like I have to be productive and read the Bible and do Bible studies, which I still do, but to sit quietly and listen is almost painful for my wound up self.  God soverignly tells me what to expect, what’s coming and how to respond in the right way.  He encourages me, lifts me up and gives me hope.  I have been through some rough, sad things the past few months and had God not prepared me and told me they were coming, I know I wouldn’t have had the faith to press on.  I am so grateful and addicted to this communication and wish everyone that is a Christian would start this habit, preferable the day you get saved.  It has been life changing.  My other top priority is weekly prayer.  I have been going for 4 years to a prayer group on Wednesday nights.  I barely roll in every week, typically completely hurried and stressed. When I sit and pray for an hour for other people, it calms my spirit down and allows me to regain some peace.  I am forever grateful for prayer warriors who pave the way for God to move and to do miracles!

I am now in charge of walking the dog and I have to say, she actually saw a squirrel today and didn’t even chase it.  I called Dan and told him and we lamented like psychos that we seem to be domesticating her.  Dan said all we need to do is to take her to the River and let her hunt for a weekend to remind her of her purpose.  Yeah, we are weirdo’s I know!  I am also dedicated to doing daily Yoga not because I am one of those creepy flexible types, but because I believe it saved me.  I had a freakish illness a couple years ago that never got diagnosed where I lost feeling in legs and arms, had trouble breathing and had vertigo type feelings.   I started doing Yoga and I slowly got back to normal and felt better mentally about myself too!  I don’t like clutter but every drawer and closet is overflowing and I intend on changing that.  I clean out constantly but with 5 kids in 2 bedrooms it’s almost impossible.  Every kid needs some stuff but multiplied by 5 and it looks exorbitant.  I pray that God helps me in this area! 

I have come to the conclusion that if God doesn’t multiple my time, bring things to my remembrance and give me supernatural wisdom on how to organize my life, I am sunk.  God has faithfully been there for me.  I have lived a life, always in over my head.  If God doesn’t show up and do miracle, I would have crashed and burned so many times!!  I am choosing this day, to get in faith, to seek God first everyday, to exercise and to believe that with God all things are possible.  He didn’t give me these 5 kids to abandon me.  He promises to never leave or forsake us and I am dependent on God’s help to guide and raise these children to be all that God has called them to be!! Can I get an Amen?? :) 

U2 by UV

I don’t ever go out at night anymore.  I was throwing away a newspaper and a picture caught my eye.  It looked exactly like U2.  I read the info and it said it was a U2 tribute band playing at Freebirds.  I texted my family to see if anyone wanted to check it out.  My sister Shar and Brett jumped on it!  We were all freaked out that the show didn’t start until 9. Dan and I almost bailed we were so very tired from our hectic life with 5 kids!  My mom was like, “You should go, Honey!  You will have a great time!”

We picked up the Godards and headed to Freebirds. When we were walking up to the door, we were stoked by the U2 music blaring out the door.  My sis and I started dancing outside!  We walked in and it was incredible.  This band has mastered every U2 song they did, to perfection.  “Bono” had every nuance and crazy singing down to the last note!  I have heard cover bands before and they bug me when they deviate from the original!  This band had done their homework, and put some serious time in preparation! It was the most authentic performance and completely shocked me!  I know Bono would even be impressed!  We danced and fist pumped until we were sweaty! 

 

I thought Shar may get in a fight when a girl got in front of her and cramped her dancing space.  Shar has weapons of mass destruction in her elbows!  They are dangerous and she was getting ready to use them!  As the night went on, the whole crowd danced and became more engaged.  Honestly, it was impossible to just be an observer!  Brett and Dan were even dancing and grooving!  The band gave it their all and acted like they were having fun as well! 

When I was getting dressed, I asked Dan if we would be old people at the concert and he said no we might be the young ones!  He reminded me when we saw U2 a couple years ago in concert, how old the crowd was!  I am pretty sure it was the same crowd that has followed them for the last twenty something years!  It felt weird being out and about until late in the night, but it was such a total blast and I am so grateful I didn’t miss it! 

For the night, I forgot about the cares of my life, my messy house, and my overwhelming to do list!  I got to be 17 again when I followed U2 from show to show, even stalking them to Dublin, Ireland!   I want to thank U2 by UV for coming to Freebirds and giving me the best night I have had in a long time!  Sometimes all you need is to go out and dance your heart out to some U2!

Lunch with Dad

Some ideas are great and then quickly turn to chaos. That was our day yesterday! It was National Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day in response to the liberal attacks against their Christian values.  I thought it would be a fab idea to pick up Chick and have lunch with Dad!  Dan is somewhat of a Chick addict and loved the idea.  It never occurred to me that eating at a Chick would be harder than eating at the White House.  We first tried the Queen’s Harbor one and I couldn’t even turn.  I assured the kids that the Chick at Regency would be easier to get into because it was in a big shopping center.  Well, I was wrong again.  I couldn’t even turn into the parking lot. 

We decided to just eat somewhere else and eat Chick later!  We were almost at the exit for Downtown and we had no food.  I asked Siri to locate a Subway and I finally found one.  It was in a really sketchy area of town and the kids asked me if we were going to get killed based on the gang-type characters loitering around the parking lot. I falsely assured them we were fine!  I made Bubba go into Subway to pick up our order and poor guy, was car sick and rushed to the bathroom to puke!  This lunch with Dad day was turning into a disaster.  With the complaining and fighting going on in the car, I threatened to turn the car around and to forget the whole ordeal.  They promised to be good so we pressed on to Dan’s office.  

We found a meter and met Dan at the door of his office building.  It was quite the thrill to ride up the elevator and all visit Dad at work.  The receptionist seemed thrilled and said she had always wanted to see us all together.  My inside voice was thinking, “She wanted to see the freak show!”  We broke out lunch around Dan’s big desk and I suddenly realized what a bad idea subs with lettuce and shredded cheese was.  The kid’s were being very good and leaning over but still it looked like a whirlwind of sub droppings everywhere.  Dan’s boss came in and thank God, I think the vast amount of kids may have distracted him from the cheese/lettuce fest going on!  He seemed like he was in a trance, staring at all Dan’s kids.  He has no kids and I think he was shocked what five kids really looks like up close and personal.  Eddie gave him knuckles and was endearing!  

Finally, he left and I started crawling around on the floor scrapping cheese out of the carpet with my fingernails.  I was stressed!  We got out of there before disaster incurred and walked over to the Landing.  It was a beautiful day and I got to show the kids where I worked during college.  (What were my parents thinking letting me work downtown at the Limited??)  We finally made it safely to the truck and I was grateful!  We stopped back at Chick-fil-A at on the way home and thankfully found a parking lot and got milkshakes for all!  I was determined to support this company, who has every right to maintain their Christian values!  I hope their sales were off the charts!  By the time I made it home from our adventure, I had to lie down I was so spent!  The kids had a blast and I think Dan’s co-workers respect him on a whole new level!!  LOL!