Ups and downs...come and go...but souls for the Lord last FOREVER!

Thursday night...not as good as Wednesday's but at least I had Wednesdays.
On Friday, we hung around here and I scrubbed the living room floor on my hands and knees. Very therapeutic.
Went to DQ for dinner with the munchkins.

Nice to get out and have fun with them. Trip to Walmart and then home. Was going to put them straight to bed but Cheney was covered in chocolate ice cream. So put girls in bath while I started to nurse the baby. Next thing I know I am walking in to the bathroom to see Cheney squatting in the back of the tub, Layton standing under the shower with the shower curtain open holding an open umbrella. YES I SAID AN OPEN UMBRELLA. Yes the shower was on. I almost laughed and started singing "Singing in the Rain" until I felt myself and the baby slipping because of the water...falling and crashing into the ceramic toilet tank and sobbing hysterically. Yes, both of us were crying at this point. I am so thankful I was able to keep from dropping or falling on the baby. We did both end of up with goose eggs on our heads. And my entire left side is sore. But we didn't have to make any hospital visits.
OK,OK... I shouldn't leave children in the tub alone. They are 6 and 3. But it was really just for a few minutes. I had just barely gotten settled on the couch. Elijah somehow got them the umbrella. We had a talk about foolishness and its consequences and how serious the injuries could have been. They all seemed very repentent.
Anyway they all went straight to bed. Nathaniel was fussy with congestion this morning so I just focused on him. The unrefrigerated bags from Walmart stayed on the floor until sometime this evening. Cheney ended up with a fever up to 103.3 and fussing when she pees. I think it is an infection. My mom came over and got us all settled for dinner and brought every kind of liquid possible to tempt Cheney into drinking. By the time Mom left to pick up my Dad from the airport, Cheney had eaten, temp dropped and she was dancing around as if everything was fine. All went to bed fairly easily and I am going there quickly myself. Hopefully we will have a calm night. Probably going to take Cheney to a clinic in the morning. We will see. I wanted to go to church but not too big on putting kids in the nursery within 24 hours of having a fever even if they aren't showing symptoms anymore. She has a well-check scheduled on Monday morning.
Just over 24 hours until Hubbie is home. I have even been able to talk to him several times today. He was taking a poll at camp on whether we should have more kids or not. I told him the ones that vote yes need to start sending money for therapy and medication. Layton actually said we needed another baby girl today. I asked her if she thought I could handle that. She said yes. Well, at least her faith in me is better than I would have imagined. Back to hubbie, there was not cell service at the camp in the mountains this past week so only got to talk to him a few times during the week when they ran into town. He is officially in civilization now. Life is much easier just knowing I can talk to him and that he is praying for us. He preaches at a church tomorrow and then heads home tomorrow night. God was so faithful at camp...86 campers, 13 students saved, 18 rededicated their lives and 5 surrendered to full-time Christian service. OK this is why we do what we do...even with the chaos. That's why we call it a CIRCUS of love. I just seem to be getting bombarded with the circus part this week...got to focus more on the LOVE!!!

Rest is nice!

Just thought I would let you all know that we had a very peaceful night around here. The kids actually went down without too much fuss. Cheney just fussed for about 10 minutes. I got in bed by 10. Fed Nathaniel around 11:30 and then we all slept until 7. Woohoo!!!
I even took a shower and went to lunch with a friend and Nathaniel.
My kids most favorite person in the world, after Grandma, came and watched them. When I got home after lunch and running to John's office to do a little work there, Cheney told me that she wanted Carri to stay forever and for me to go shopping. At least I know that she enjoys having Carri here. It was funny.

I got the book I ordered yesterday. "Managers of the Home" It is supposed to help homeschoolers get their lives scheduled. I desperately need help with this. If God can allow me some rest surely he can allow me time to read and get my home life and school life scheduled.

Praise God...for all those people that have helped me through this week. I just talked to John. He said there were about 100 people at the camp and GOD had showed up. Praise HIM!!! GOD not my husband. John is enjoying New Mexico except for the sand storms and he thinks it is really weird that their frontyards are full of rocks with no grass.

Bouncing Brains

We went to Monkey Joe's today to celebrate #3's third b-day while hubbie is out of town. We met Heather and her girls at Chic-fil-a "God's chicken restaurant" and had our homemade cupcakes right there at the table after their kids meals, of course. Then headed over to Monkey Joe's. This was my kids first experience with the warehouse of bounce contraptions. Our kids played from about 2:30 until 6. They ran, slid, climbed and BOUNCED. They all played so well together and I really enjoyed the adult conversation while Heather and I constantly took head counts. They were all red in the face when we left. We thought for sure they would fall asleep on the way home.
However my kids had other plans. They did not fall asleep. They all got baths and ate their weight in ham and cheese and crackers. Then since there was a thunderstorm directly over our house, I let them bounce balloons in the living room until the crashing thunder died down. One of the thunder crashes or is it lightning strikes...anyway it sounded so close I thought I might need to go look out the window and check our trees or the neighbors house...SERIOUSLY!!! So as the storm died down and channel 13 showed that it was passing to past our neighborhood. I put the kids to bed around 9:00 p.m.

Here is a recap of our night...
Elijah in bed with me since he has not had a chance to get to sleep in the big bed with Mommy. Layton did the other night and Cheney has crawled in bed with me two nights around 4a.m.
Anyway...they all went to sleep pretty quickly while Nathaniel began his nursing marathon. Sometime around 11:00 he fell asleep and I put him in bed. I guess I got in bed around midnight but woke up about 12:30. So I just read for a while. Then put the book down around 1:30 or so. At 3:15 Layton came down stairs asking for water so I told her to get some and go back to bed. Then about 3:45 Cheney woke up and it took about 30 minutes to get her calmed down. She has decided this week that she doesn't "like" to sleep so she isn't going to. So as she was kind of calming down Nathaniel woke up at 4:15 and I nursed him and went back to bed around 5 something. Elijah woke up around 6:45 hungry so I went and got him a banana to eat in bed. I didn't want him up walking around the house waking everybody else up. Then I think we went back to sleep between Elijah's teeth grinding and rolling around. Sometime during the night I woke up because he was using my behind as a pillow. Not sure how he got turned completely upside down in the bed.

So beware of brain bouncing...it is not good for sleep habits.
But don't feel so bad for me...I am still in my pajamas. I fed the kids cereal and nursed Nathaniel, the kids played balloons and are now watching a video while Nathaniel naps and I am about to get up and take a shower so we can walk over to Helen's house for lunch. She walked over to check on me yesterday while the plumber was here. Oh by the way the plumbing is fixed except for the leak he found on the pipe going into the meter from the street. The city should be here to fix that sometime soon. When we get back from lunch we are all going to NAP!!! I hope.

The dishes and laundry and water boiling can wait. And I am sure that one day I will look back and laugh and wish to hear the pitter patter of little feet in the dark...someday.

OK...I don't know anything about this singer except she is on the ring tone list for Verizon wireless and she sings a song entitled Babies. "I want to have your babies" is in the chorus and it is SOOOO FUNNY because when John tells the story of how we met, he ALWAYS embellishes it and says I looked into his eyes and told him, "I want to have your babies." so I guess that is how we got into this crazy circus of love.

Here is the video on YouTube...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOAbvaIVp2c&NR=1
So that's how I got where I am...Ha,ha,ha,ha!!!
I really want to put it on my phone for a ringtone for John's calls but I don't think it would go over well in my crowd. I mean I suppose telling someone that I want to have your babies is not SO appropriate. But apparently...I wanted to have John's babies...and I think I have had all the babies I can handle now.


The lyrics...
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,
But what if it don't?
What happens in my head stays in my head,
But sometimes it won't.
What if you knew what I was thinking?
Would it make you like "Whoa!"?
I don't wanna risk putting my foot in this
So I keep my mouth closed.
[Chorus]All you hear is"Uh uh uh uh uh uh"Gonna button my lips so the truth don't slip
Uh uh uh uh uh uh Gotta beep out what I really wanna shout
Whoops! Did I say it out loud?Did you find out? (oow yeah)
I wanna have your babies
You're serious like crazy
I wanna have your babies
I see 'em springing up like daisies
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Some of my feelings keep escaping
So I make it a joke
Nonchalant I keep on faking
So my heart don't get broke
I'm in a big, big, big, big ocean
In a tiny little boat
I'll only put the idea out there
If I know it's gonna float.
[Chorus]All you hear is"Uh uh uh uh uh uh
"Gonna button my lips so the truth don't slip
Uh uh uh uh uh uh
Gotta beep out what I really wanna shout
Whoops! Did I say it out loud?
Did you find out? (oow yeah)
I wanna have your babies
You're serious like crazy
I wanna have your babies
I see 'em springing up like daisies

[ I Wanna Have Your Babies lyrics found on http://www.completealbumlyrics.com ]
'Cause in my head there's a slot machine
And I'm betting you're the one in my hopes and dreams
La la la la la, la la la la la la laLa la la la la, la la, la la...
Trust me it'd scare youIf you knew what was going on in my brain
Trust me it'd scare you
That I picked out the church, or the schools or the names
If you knew it was all about you
Every wish, every candle, every coin in the fountain
Trust me it'd scare you
That's why I go,
Uh uh uh uh uh, uh uhUhm... yeah
[Chorus again]

end of the craziness.....ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha....

What was I thinking...I live in my house. There never seems to be an end to the craziness. OK...I am going to write this in Thanksgiving form so that I don't looooooooooooooose it.

• I am thankful that we have indoor plumbing and that we can afford to pay our water bill while the toilet leaks about a bucket of water every 6 hours. I am thankful that we have a friend in the building industry that has called a plumber for us so we can get lower rates than normal.
• I am thankful that I can see the trees outside and that is is beautiful day as I look through the window where the blinds just fell on me. I am thankful that Walmart is close so I can buy some new ones. I am thankful we have money to buy new blinds. (the really cheap kind...maybe that is why they keep breaking.)
• I am thankful that my #3 is 3 today even if if means that her new found ability to share her desires has just begun this past week with screaming and crying fits. I am thankful that I got to hold her for about an hour until she finally fell asleep yesterday at nap after being carried back upstairs to her bed at least 5 times. I am thankful I had the self control to not use the popper(wooden spoon) or my #3 might have been taken away from me yesterday.
• I am thankful my husband loves the Lord and is willing to serve him even if that means it takes him to New Mexico for 8 days.
• I am thankful there are only 6 days left.
• I am thankful my #2 is finally willing to wipe his bottom when he goes #2 even if it means I have to go dig the toilet paper out of the potty upstairs right now because it is stopped up. Maybe I could wait for the plumber on that potty too.
• I am thankful that #2 went right back to bed at 1:30 this morning.
• I am thankful that #3 didn't wake up and crawl in bed with me at 4 this morning for the third day in a row.
• I am thankful that #4 slept all night long even if #1 woke up at 11:00 last night and got in bed with me and woke me up several times by putting her feet across my body. I am not sure how she stays on her twin bed because she sleeps horizontally on my queen size one. I am thankful she can move her legs.
• I am thankful I have a friend who is willing to take her two girls and meet us at Monkey Joes for birthday playdate this afternoon and who is willing to be flexible and wait and see what time since we don't know when the plumber will get here.
• I am thankful that I am going to go take a shower after I unclogging the toilet upstairs...the last time I showered was Sunday morning...ssshhhh...that's just between us.
• I am thankful that my girls are very verbal even if that means I have to go break up an argument right now. I am thankful I can walk in there to do that.
• I am thankful I have a washer and dryer and that Ihave a couch to pile up the clean clothes on.
• I am thankful God is in the midst of this craziness and somehow He is teaching me I can't do this all on my own. I desperately need HIM!!! HE will see us through all these little details and HE will mold me if I will just surrender. I am thankful for HIS forgiveness when I don't.
• I am thankful my kids always forgive me when I turn into a bear. I am trying to not growl at them and I am trying to be a better example to my bear cubs.
• I am truly thankful for the 4 amazing creatures that God has given me to watch over. I am thankful for my amazing husband and I am so looking forward to our vacation in Myrtle Beach next week. I am counting the days until I can hand #4 over to my dear sweet Mother-in-law and I can go take a nap at the pool. You'll do that for me won't you, MaMaw?

Well, I better go...I have A LOT to be thankful for!!!!!!

Almost to the end of the craziness...

well, john got back from n.c. on friday. the kids and i spent thurs. through sunday at the condos with all my family. john joined us on saturday. my brother got hitched. it was a beautiful wedding...WOW! my little bro is married. i was 11 when he was born so i am feeling very old now. i mean i changed quite a few of that boy's diapers. tonight, we host our annual praise and fundraiser event called "provision."

john had a good week up in n.c. probably not the size of crowd that he was anticipating at the provision that he held up there but really for a first time and not living in that area 50 people is a great turn out in my opinion. i was so blessed by those up there in n.c. that worked so hard to make it a success, my mother-in-law and father-in-law especially. God is doing some cool things. stretching our faith in many ways. we just keep trusting Him to show us His plan for us.

so i have made it through most of the crazy schedule...just gotta get through provision to night and then we can all crash tomorrow and I can start backing off the caffiene.

oh...my kids behaved wonderfully through all of the events over the past week. Our friend, the wooden spoon, went every where with us but honestly I don't even remember having to use it. the first couple of days at home using it quite frequently whipped them into shape. Pun intended. :) layton did a great job with her flower girl duties, elijah did a great job letting layton have her special time in the limelight and cheney and nathaniel really enjoyed the nursery during the ceremony. i enjoyed wiping my eyes without having to bounce a baby on my hip. my aunt was baby holder extraordanaire for us during the reception. what a blessing. I will post pictures as soon as i get some off of my mom and sister's cameras. I had too many kids to chase to take pics.

Trying to train the monkeys without losing my mind

Ok, I have to admit that I have been letting the offspring get a little out of control lately. It is time to get back on track. Time to pull in the reigns so I am not yelling at kids and stomping around acting like an ogre when I should just be training my sweet little ones with a kind hearted sweet voice and less stress. With John's travel schedule picking up this is super important and especially this weekend and all the festivities. When it is a 1 to 4 ratio sometimes the lower ranks try to take over and well that is just not acceptable. So the only way I know how to control myself and to actually have the weight that i need to back up the reason for discipline is to use the Word of God. So I found these verses at http://www.doorpost.net/ . We are going back to one direction given, immediate consequence for disobedience, asking for forgiveness from wronged party and prayer for forgivenss. I also am going to commit to using positive feedback when I see good behavior. There is no excuse on my part. Here are the verses I put on the list for me...

• Proverbs 31:25-27 (NIV) "She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness."


• So no more excuses...wisdom on my tongue...will be the words of the verses below.


• No more excuses that I am tired...I can't be lazy in discpilining my children even if I am the only one at home doing it...this moment has been given to me by God...it is time for me to train these precious children up in the way that they should go. Somehow..I vow not to worry at night. God is in control even when John is out of town.

Here are the verses I printed out on a sheet of paper to carry around with me and use in correcting my kiddos. I feel like they hit just about every issue we deal with in one way or another. Anyway, It is a list that I can work on right now for the next few days.

· Romans 12:10 “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
· Ephesians 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
· Galatians 6:9 "Let us not be weary in well-doing , for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (KJV)
· Psalm 101:3 "I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes." (KJV)
· Psalm 90:12 "So teach us to number our days..." (KJV) “ Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.”(NLT)
· Psalm 141:3 "Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth..." (NKJV)
· Proverbs 31:25-27 "Strength and honor are her clothing..." (KJV)
· Psalm 121:3 "He who watches over you will not slumber." (NIV)
· Ephesians 4:26 "Let not the sun go down upon your wrath." (KJV)
· I Corinthians 14:40 "Let all things be done decently..." (KJV) (NIV)But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.
· Psalm 127:4 (NIV) “Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth”
· Proverbs 17:1 “A meal of bread and water in contented peace is better than a banquet spiced with quarrels.” (message)
· Luke 6:31 " Do to others as you would have them do to you” (NIV)
· (message) Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back?
· Proverbs 20:3 "Any fool can start a quarrel." (NKJV) (message) “It's a mark of good character to avert quarrels, but fools love to pick fights.”

So you may want to pray for me...I am going to see if I can get this three ring circus going in the right direction :!

Yippee, It is almost here!!!!!

No, this isn't Nathaniel and WOW! I still think it is a cute baby. My hubbie sent this to me today in an email. Tomorrow night we are going on a date in honor of Mother's day. We have been so crazy busy. I am in the middle of umpteen projects in the house trying to figure out how to get 6 people to live in our 3/1.5 and got to swim lessons every morning for these past two weeks. Seems like I just keep rotating stuff around. Had to fit the high chair back into dining room and make room in our bedroom so the pack and play can fit in there during the day. Move the bookshelf out of the boys' room so a baby bed could actually fit in there for Nathaniel. He slept up there nap today.

My hubbie is crazy busy getting ready for our annual ministry anniversary celebration and auction. He is running around town collecting all kinds of items for the auction and logging in all the items. This year, not only are we having one in Central Florida but he is hosting a celebration in North Carolina this year as well.

So here is the craziness for the next week and a half...

Friday- last swim lesson and fold an entire couch full of clean clothes put them away, do dishes, sweep and maybe mop then go on a date. I will feel really good if I just get everyone fed, swam, folded and put away. Oh... I guess I need to go shopping for our Sunday lunch, too.

Saturday - we have to run to Windermere to pick up auction stuff then Layton and I get to go to a Mother Daughter tea at FBC/K with my mom. My mom actually prepares/cooks for the all 200 women that come. She's amazing. Oh...iron John some clothes for his trip...since they have been in a pile on the couch all week long. Prep for lunch on Sunday- I am going to try to have everything ready

Sunday- church with my parents then we will host them at our house afterwards since she will have just cooked for 200. We are going to make our own homemade personal pizzas with all the fixins and then make our own sundae with every topping imaginable. I figured this would be easy prep and a fun memory making experience. Relaxing for me and my mom and fun for all of us.

Monday- John heads to N.C. and Layton and I have a Bridemaids' dinner to attend since Layton is the flower girl in my lil' bro's wedding.

Tuesday - MOPS - try to stay caught up around here with cleaning and stuff.

Wednesday- start packing.

Thursday- head to a condo on Kissimmee to stay with all my family coming in for the wedding. Swim and play.

Friday- Rehearsal dinner

Saturday- Wedding

Sunday- church and nap and get ready for ministry celebration we call it "provision"

Monday- PROVISION...Big night of worship, praising God for how he has provided for John to share God's word with young people over this past year!!!

Tuesday.... CRASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BUT tomorrow night, Lord willing I am not thinking about any of that. Just going on a date with two of my handsome fellas... the Hubbie and the baby.

IS IT FRIDAY YET??????????