A few great things

...about being a mama.

When you come across creations such as these-

I could be irritated by the constant messes. And often, I am. Some surprises are not so endearing. Like my scrapbook pages strewn across the boy's bedroom floor, or a clean load of laundry dumped out to make room for the puppet's "bath". 

But mostly, I find myself chuckling several times a day... a (seriously misspelled) note, a beheaded -and re-headed- Yoda with a drill bit light saber, a baby doll sitting at the table with it's lunch in front of it...

What else is so great about being Mama? Watching my babies grow. (Shh, don't tell her she's a baby)

Watching the little kids follow their sibling's lead. Grace sits with the boys almost the whole time they are doing their schoolwork. She's on a new kick now. She saw Jacob jump up from the table to sharpen his pencil and immediately pushed her chair up to the counter to do the same. Back and forth, she went, 20 times  or more. Now all she needs to do is figure out that you have to hold the pencil to actually accomplish anything, not just let it spin round and round. Maybe that's why she had to sharpen it so many times.

"Mommy, Im need to sharkin mine pencil."

And yet another great thing...

Being so needed and so loved!

Some pictures speak for themselves

What a week, oh, what a week.

These last few weeks while my father in law was in the hospital, we have had a few more visitors. A two year old can only handle just so many days in a hospital room, so Livy came over to play a couple of times. Grace loved having her over.

And on Wednesday, Amy dropped off seven of the kids to play while she picked up the meat trays for the funeral.

-Lunch for fourteen-

I asked Courtney to keep the "middle" kids busy with an art lesson. She did a great job. She will be a wonderful teacher someday. She got more than just the middle kids, though. Soon, Gracie and Beka and Matthew came running to the table. Well, they're big kids, too.

(I love to watch Grace get involved with every activity that her older siblings are into. She has no idea that she is two.)

Thursday was my father in law's funeral. It was a beautiful tribute. So, so very many people were there to show their respect. Faces that I haven't seen in years, faces I have never seen before. It was wonderful to meet and meet again. Robin (Tony's sister) delivered a touching eulogy. Bro. Cialini sang "Finally Home" (didn't think I was going to make it through that one) and Amy and Elisabeth played "Amazing Grace."

I regretted not throwing my camera into the car when I saw all the family together. Tony's grandma met a few of her great-grandchildren for the first time. But my sils were on the ball and captured many memories, so you will have to check in with their blogs.

Thank you for your prayers for the family.

Saying Goodbye

Papa and Joshua- August 2009

Does anybody have any...

brown eyeshadow I can borrow?

I seem to be all out.

Flute lessons

 

She has so much patience.

This is why every time Grace is being scolded, she cries "Paaaaige!" And when the boys steal part of her snack, she knows Paige will give her the rest of hers. If I catch her chomping on a peice of sim zim (slim jim), I know where she got it from. Come to think of it, that sounds more like spoiling.

Grace knew that all she has to do is ask her "Paige, I'm blow it yours fute, peese?"

And, of course, she let her.

Lunch time or nap time?