God Knows.

Once again, the school year is winding down.

All I can say is "THANK GOD."

It has been very challenging to keep up with our work over the past few weeks since Baby Garrett #5 decided to make her/his prescence undeniable. I usually love our school days but lately it is all I can do to put one foot in front of the other. I'm like a giant baby myself: I eat every 2 hours, spit up, pee constantly, need a nap (I'd take 2 if it were possible), wake up all night long (again with the bathroom thing), and cry a few times a day. In fact, I do want my Moooooommmmmmmmy!

But God is good. All of the time. And with Him, all things are possible. Even making it through the miserable first part of pregnancy for a busy homeschooling momma.

We are a week away from finishing our science course. Reese finished math for the year. See, God knew what was coming even though I didn't. Back during last summer when I was consumed with planning our year out, I thought it was kind of crazy that we would be done with science so much sooner than our other subjects. It sort of bugged me because I wanted all the subjects to end close to same time. And sometimes I got frustrated when Reese would drag her feet on her math lessons. But she finished her book at exactly the right time. Any sooner and we would have started on the next book and it would have been a little tough to justify ending her math lessons for the year right as we started a new book. But God knew! She finished her book the week I found out I was pregnant.

God has given me the amazing gift of feeling pretty good in the mornings. By the afternoon I can barely get off the couch. But that's ok because we have Netflix and a toddler who faithfully takes at least a 2 hour nap in the afternoons. This allows me to get what we need to get done in the mornings and take it easy in the afternoons.

Hailey has soccer at 6 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. When I first heard this schedule, I grumbled inwardly because that would put us home to do dinner and baths after 7. But God knew! God knew that afternoons would be especially tough for me and that it would be a wonderful blessing to have a later practice so Jason could be available to keep tabs on the younger girls and watch Hailey for most of her practice.

Things are a little rough right now. And probably will be for the next 6 or 7 weeks. Gaaaaah--that's a long time. But wait. God is GOOOD. Take it one day at a time. A journey of 1,ooo miles begin with a single step. My help comes from The Lord. And God knows what is coming up. I don't. So I am happy to trust in Him. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" Romans 8:28

Who Cares About What Other People Think Anyway?

Uh, the unfortunate answer to that would be: ME! I care what other people think! And I wish I didn't! And collectively, I really don't but when I am talking to someone face to face it turns out that I do find myself wondering what they think of me.

Particularly when it comes to my little brood of girls.

So the girls go everywhere with me. And no matter what, we always get comments. Which I try to let roll off my back or to take in a positive way. But I don't always succeed. "Don't you guys own a t.v.?" has been my favorite so far, btw.

I understand we probably look a little chaotic thundering down the isle at the grocery store but really, we only have four children! People react like we have 20. I am always ALWAYS careful to respond kindly and cheerfully that our children are a blessing and that I enjoy them very much--yes, even though they are all girls. And most people are very sweet.

But sometimes they say things like "Bet you were hoping that last one was a boy." and it makes me really sad! Because I love the fact that I have 4 girls. And I adore each one and am so grateful to be their mother. And I don't want my girls to ever think that maybe I didn't want them or wanted them to be of the male gender. Sure, we'd love to have a son at some point but if we don't, then we are ok (my husband being part of the "we"--he loves his little girls, too).

And then there is the pressure to have everyone behave super awesomely out of this world when we are in public. If you see a family with two children and one is having a fit then it's "Bless that poor mother's heart." And if you see a family with 4 or more children and one is misbehaving it is "That mother probably doesn't have the time to discipline her children."

Same thing for me. If I am having a bad day or am frustrated with one of my girls and I speak a little too harshly to one of my children or don't have a glowing smile on my face or even look worn out tired (I have allergies--that's where the bags come from!) then people automatically assume that it's because of "all those children" and either feel sorry for me or think that I deserve what I get for being so stupid as to not figure out how to stop the children from coming. No one wants to hear the bad day from a mom of a brood of kids b/c I've made my bed and now I have to lie in it.


So I'm thinking I need a t-shirt that says:

Yes, they are all mine.
No, we are not Catholic.
Yes, we know what causes pregnancy.
No, we are not trying for a boy.
Yes, I do have my hands full but I LOVE it!
No, call me crazy but I am not scared for them to become teenagers.

And I'll start wearing that t-shirt when I start showing with Baby #5 (due 11-11-11)

Hehe :)