We've Been...

We've (the kids and hubby) been sick!  These last two weeks have been sleepless nights, high fevers, breathing treatments, double ear infections, nasty coughs and lots of snuggling.

BUT!!  There were a lot of other things going on too:)

Believe it or not, life goes on even when the family has the flu!

So we've been...

 Pulling ourselves up onto furniture (at 7 months!!)

 

Crashing

Climbing

Eating lots of fresh eggs

Running

Having dirt road date nights with my man

 

Watching Peter Pan... Over and over

Getting ready for kindergarten

Doing some late night reading

Sick and pathetic:(

Doing yard work

Bonding with Sugar

 

Yes, life goes on... WAY too fast!

Getting Real

So again... I have been missing for a month!

I got to thinking about it this evening and I really have no reason other then I am exhausted!!

I have time to blog in the evening and (sometimes) at nap time. But honestly I am exhausted.

Being a mom of 4 young kids is not easy work.

It is:

2am feedings

5:30 wake up calls

Breakfast for a mini army

Cleaning, dressing and grooming everyone

2hrs & over 80 miles in the car for drop off/pick ups

A dozen or so diaper changes

Correcting, encouraging, teaching in everything we do

Attempting to keep my cool

Rocking, nursing, praying for nap time

Never ending cleaning, sweeping, picking up

Laundry and laundry

Kissing boo boos, wiping noses, breathing treatments

Entertaining and story time

Preparing lunch, snacks and treats

Discipline, time outs, frustration

Homework, puzzle making, swing pushing

NOISY

Evening melt downs

Double recipe dinners

Assembly line baths

Snuggle rotations

And if I am lucky, a few minutes with Daddy before we both pass out.

Let me be clear... I am NOT complaining. I love staying home with my kids, we make a lot of sacrifices so that I can be the one to raise them. But it is an exhausting job. And the sleep deprivation and consistent mental and physical exertion is finally catching up to me!

So in my "free time", I try to recoup and reenergize for whatever is coming next. And even then my mind goes to the million worries and thoughts of the day.

But, I miss blogging. I remember it being therapeutic to look back on the day. Blogging brings out the good parts of our days and reminds me that there is a bigger picture. It also helps me remember our days... Yes, it's sad that I have to be reminded of our days. But honestly, our life is racing by in a blur lately!

So here I go again... No promises and no plans. Just a single statement.

I am going to blog again:)

Ideal VS. Reality ~ Birth Doula

I started doing Doula work when Buddy Boy was a little over a year. We were unsure whether or not we would have more kids, but thought we may be done after I had two miscarriages. Well, a week after my doula training I realized I was pregnant with Baby C. I tried to attend a few births but between morning sickness and little ones at home, it was very hard on me. So I took the rest of the year off and started attending births again when Baby C was 6 months old. It was even harder. I love being a doula but between pumping, being away from the baby, and trying to find a sitter for all my kids for an unknown length of time it was all too much. I again decided to take another break. I was contacted by a few people in mid October last year who needed a doula and decided to go to a few interviews... I figured if it was meant to be, it would be. I guess it wasn't, because before I even made it to the interviews I found out I was pregnant again with Baby #4. I knew then that I wasn't suppose to be a doula at this stage of my life.

It is sad for me but I know again, that I need to be at home with my kids in order for our family to run smoothly and for there to be peace in our household. I also know that life goes through stages and that although at this time I can't do doula work, one day I will find myself back in the birth world. I still have dreams of where I want to be, they are just not part of my reality right now.

Ideal VS. Reality ~ Schooling

Lately I have been stuck in this limbo between my "ideal" life and reality.

All in all, my life is awesome.  I love where I am and how we have gotten here.  But there are some things that are coming up that I always thought would go one way... and now they are going another.

It bums me out because I feel like most of the reason they are going another way is because of me.  But I am to the point where I have to do what is best for me and the peace in our household.

 

 

Are you following??

Here is what I am beginning to see as reality... 

For the last few years we have planned to home school our kids.  I took Bubba Love out of preschool and home schooled the kids this year.  It has been fun(ish), but really exhausting and trying on me.  I LOVE my kids and I want to spend time with them, but I think we are all ready for a break from each other.  The sibling fighting and rivalry have gotten out of control lately and I think it is because they are ALWAYS together.  I can't take it anymore and I have started to loose my patience.  Not to mention the fact that I am going to be adding another baby to mix.  Mama needs some help!  Soooooo after a lot of prayer and a lot of discussion, Daddy and I have decided to put both of the kids into school next year.  Bubba Love into kindergarten and Buddy Boy into preschool.  It makes me sad just thinking about it... all the reasons we wanted to home school and all the reasons I really don't like public school.  But when looking at the whole picture, sending them to school is going to be best for our home right now.  Maybe that will change in a few years... we shall see.