I like our lives to be orderly and in control. 9 kids makes that impossible. 9 kids plus multiple things breaking plus illness makes it triple impossible. The sooner I am peaceful with being out of control, the better!
Seriously, I know God uses these moments to help me realize I am not in control and I need to depend on Him -- not our organization, our strength, our money, etc. In a painful way, it is good.
Anyway, here is a litany of our woes:
Our computers have been acting up, especially our main computer and laptop. Kevin has spent countless hours battling them into submission. Late last night as I nursed Rose, he announced that he thought he had figured out the problem with the main computer. He tried to explain it but I wouldn't understand it when I was most alert and it was 1:30 a.m. so I was not alert.
Our vacuum cleaner and microwave broke in the last few days. The microwave on Christmas. Kevin went out and bought a new one on Dec. 26th and installed it. He was able to dissect the vacuum cleaner and connect to sides of a broken switch with the result that the vacuum IS working now -- it turns on whenever it is plugged in instead of a switch turning it off and on.
We probably have yet another illness making the rounds. Daniel threw up a few nights ago, then Lydia got unhappily ill in the same way last night.
The very GOOD news is that I am feeling a whole lot better. I have turned a real corner -- breathing is Ok, cough minimal, more energy. I can now shoulder more of the parenting load, which is good as Kevin is feeling terrible now :-(.
I had such hopes of getting a lot done with organization and cleaning and preparing for homeschooling next year. I may get time this coming week but I realized this morning that while the organizing bug was upon ME, it wasn't fair to the kids to suddenly get all excited about cleaning and organizing and deculttering because THEY aren't feeling well now, many of them anyway.
We have a birthday today, had another one a week ago, and have yet one more on New Year's Eve. Then the next family birthday is Daniel's, in May. We're heavy on birthdays towards the end of the year. I'll post some pictures of our birthday celebrations when the main computer is accessible. Kevin is still toiling away on it.
I wonder what Daniel will be like at age 3. He has calmed down just a bit and does fewer crazy things these days. He has been really safe on the stairs. Well, safe in the sense that he doesn't fall down them. I don't like watching him go down the stairs as he often carries items downstairs, and sometimes he JUMPS instead of steps. Silly boy.
Sarah is in a phase herself. She screams a lot. There are certain traumatic events that happen repeatedly; for example, this morning she experienced the horror of being the LAST girl to leave her bedroom. Yes, her 2 older sisters LEFT HER BEHIND. Naturally, she had to deal with it be screaming at the top of her lungs and waking up her father. Because you know, you have to let it out.
Sigh.
Another sort of funny thing is the effect Rose has on Sarah. Sarah loves Rose. Loves, loves, loves, loves, LOVES Rose. So that's good. But ... I was trying to come up with an analogy and was failing, and then Kevin and Naomi suggested that Rose is like a shot of caffeine or adrenaline to Sarah. Sarah gets weird around Rose. She starts making high pitched squeals, she wants to kiss Rose's head, and pull on her arms and legs (fairly gently) and jump up and down, and get in Rose's personal space. I have never seen anything quite like it before and we have many children! Interesting that we still have new dynamics between our offspring at this stage in the game.
So, we don't have total control around here but life is interesting, and that is a blessing.
Please pray for us that we'd get over this illness or these illnesses.
And please continue to pray for my dear friend S. and her children, as they mourn the death of husband and father D.
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