I took a quiz recently on Facebook that asked how many kids were you supposed to have? Not surprising to me, I scored in the '4-7 kids' bracket. Big shock. Before we had kids I used to say dumb stuff like 5 or 6 would be great.......... I know I must have been smokin' something. Anyway.....lots of morning sickness, heartburn, swollen ankles, sleepless nights, and diapers later, I have to say I have EXACTLY the family that I was supposed to have.
Take this week for example, it is the week leading up to the 'Grand Finale' of the Youth Wrestling Season, State Tournament is THIS weekend, I swear we just started practices last week, oh wait, yeah guess that was 5 months ago.......... hmmmm time flies I guess when you're having fun. We have practice EVERY night this week, yes by choice, no they aren't required, in fact our club doesn't have it every night, so we are actually 'crashing' another club's practice tonight. But you know Sam has worked very hard to get this far and I am not going to stand in his way. Wrestling keeps us busy throughout the winter that is for sure.
Then I start factoring in the guilt our busy life has on my heart. I feel guilty that we don't spend the 'quality time' together at home doing nothing that we probably should be spending, I feel guilty that there is way too many loads of laundry that I am behind on, a few too many dirty dishes and when have I dusted, I couldn't tell you. That's just the kids and home guilt. Now there's the friends and 'community' guilt as well. One of my dearest friends is running for local office, while yes I have made it to alot of the campaign meetings, but there's many things that I have not gotten done, several I volunteered to do, just haven't found the time. There are my classmates who are trying to plan a class reunion, not that it's hinging on me to get that done, but I haven't been consistent with the follow-up and I know that it's hanging in limbo right now, the final plans that is. I am a very devoted church member, our church added a wonderful twice monthly Bible study this year on Wednesday nights, haven't been able to attend one of them (it's a wrestling practice night)
I didn't start this blog to whine, and I am coming around to point, stay with me........
In our busy life, there are the brightest shining moments that are the things that get me through. Some recent ones have been, in no particular order:
Last Saturday, me, my brother, and four of my cousins all came together at my grandma's and had a 'Grandma Ruby' day. There were several others around, mom and her three brothers were in and out, my kids, some of our spouses, etc...... We didn't tell her that we were coming, until a call that I made on my way to her house. We helped her clean her house, reorganize, donate and pitch alot of things, did yardwork and just had a generally GREAT day!! She, who has done SO much for us, was paid back, no where near in full, because we could never pay her back for all that she does for us, all of us, but we made a small start. She seemed to be thrilled with the help and I for one, think that we could do this again as a group or each of us switch off taking a Saturday a month and just help her keep things going. I can't even start to list all the times that she has helped me out. I feel blessed, and hope that I returned that blessing at least in part on Saturday.
Last night, the three boys and I ate supper at McDonald's. How is that a shining moment, you ask. Well let me give you the scene. As we sat and ate a meal together, we talked about of course wrestling, we laughed and generally just relaxed together for a few moments, no it wasn't at home, no it wasn't in front of a home cooked meal, and no we weren't all 6 together; but is was full of sweet mommy moments for me, watching how my sons can be each others friend and love each other at least for a few minutes over a cheeseburger and fries.
Last night the two missing from McDonald's David and Jenna 'worked.' Jenna had a ball it seems, she chattered about all that they did the second I walked in the door last night. She was thrilled to report that she 'helped' Daddy in the grain bin, thus she was dusty and had just had a bath and Daddy always does a better job combing out her beautiful golden hair.
I always worry that the wrestling or whatever 'thing/season' is taking away from our family time, but I had to laugh this morning, all three of the 'school kids' had matching shirts on as they got on the bus, 'Follow us to State, black Panther Wrestling TShirts' covered my kids back today in support of Sam and his fellow 'state bound' buddies. The kids aren't whining or feeling guilty, so why am I? hmm....
So maybe all of this busy-ness is at least sort of okay, because it gives us all excuses to do things together, experience things we might not have, and support and love each other in many different ways....................at least that's what I am hoping, so my 'guilt' won't be in vain!!!
Looking out the office window and watching it rain.
From Tulip~
KH
