Random

-I am blessed to get to meet with many women every week and dig into life and the word together. The sad part of doing this in a college town is that every year, someone moves on to the next step of their journey. This is always harder for me then I plan on it being. For any of you who have been in mentorship-type relationships, you always start thinking of everything you can teach them and by the end, you have learned so much just from sharing life together. This is something I will never grow tired of doing. But oh how I miss all you sweet girls! You know who you are! :)

-K and I are making sushi together for dinner. This should be entertaining. He has made it before, I have not. And I have no idea if all the kids will eat it. I am excited!

-The school count down is 9 days. We are all ready for SUMMER! It had already filled up with day camps, physics/art camp, cross country, vacation, time with family, beach days, pool.....I can't wait!

-Speaking of the beach, we are hoping to head up on Friday. There is no school and a high in the 80's. Hopefully I will remember to dig out my camera and catch some memories.

-We were able to see K's family this past weekend to celebrate his brothers graduation from ND. After 11 years of college, I guess he is done for now. :) Congrats Dr./Professor T!

-We planted our garden. I think half of it is already dead. Serious. brown. thumb.

-We love the new Muppet movie. The soundtrack has run on a consistent basis and I think K had it memorized, even though he hasn't seen the movie yet! Yeah for family friendly movies!

-I feel this post needs a picture. Doesn't every post? I just walked outside and took this picture of kids beading, trading cards and eating snack. Yes I know I am missing a kid. I begged him for a picture and lost. :) Enjoy!

I was able to catch up with a great friend last week who is always speaking wisdom into my life.

One thing she has told me over and over again these past few years is that my kids will need me even more as they get older (middle school/high school age).

This baffled me the first time she told me. All I could think was really? Have you seen how long it takes to clean up after all these little kids? And do their laundry? Cook? Clean? Tuck in multiple times? Brush all their teeth?

But now as my children are creeping closer and closer to double digits (AHHH!!!!), I am realizing how right she it.

Feeding 5 kids takes time, but 5 separate conversations? Way more time. Even more time learning each kids. All kids eat more or less the same-but I am realizing, especially with my boys, I have to take the time to find where each one opens up.

H? He like to open up while we are walking or running together. I don't always want to or have time to do this, but if I want to hear what is going on at school, I need to take the time to do this.

Each of my kids is put together so differently. And I am realizing more and more everyday that I don't want to miss any of these conversations or time with them. Time is flying by and I don't get any of it back. I want to take the time to read out loud to B, play a game with J, have girl time with A.....and yes, this take a lot more mental time then when they were young.

I also want then to be 'used' to talking with me. About everything. My kids attend an urban public school. I would probably fall over dead if I knew what they were hearing everyday. I want to norm to be coming home and chatting with me about what they heard or seen or learned that day. I have seen this happen already and am so thankful I have been able to be here to give them answers. (yes this included explaining the definition of the f word to my 1st grader last year!)

All of this goes back to just being intentional with every minute of my day. Every conversation. Every book. Every game. Every walk. Every meal. They are all a chance for me to speak truth and love into my kids lives.

Ahh.....being a mother. Exhausting. Exhilarating. Challenging. Tiring. Selfless. Priceless.

I am lucky enough to be in Cleveland at the moment with my mother, visiting my grandparents. It has been so nice to be here (without kiddos) especially so close to Mother's Day. I cannot remember the last time I was able to see my mother so close to Mother's Day! And any of you that know me well know that I am terrible at gifts and cards and special phone calls, so a visit works great! :)

We have been able to hang out with my grandparents, who are both over 90 and reminded me yesterday they have been married 66 years. I feel like a baby and that I have no idea what life is really like. It has been great to see them and great to hangout with my mom.

I read this post this morning about what I am willing to fight for as a mom and I agreed with it 100%.

I cannot truly imagine what life would be alike without a mom-I know that I, for many years, took for granted that I had a mom AND a dad who love me to pieces, taught me right and wrong and helped me to become who I am today. And to be reminded that there are many children that lack this basic thing on a daily basis broke my heart once again.

It reminded me of the REAL injustices that I need to be fighting for on a daily basis. And what my heart should be breaking for.

-K graduated this past weekend with his Master of Ministry! I am so proud of him for earning this degree over the past few years while chasing our 5 around, planting a church and dealing with me. He is a superman. :) In typical W fashion, we did not attend graduation. We are 0 for 3 in attending our graduations. Not sure what that says about us.

-I just read the book Almost Amish the past 2 days. I had read another book written by Nancy and her husband called Serve God, Save the Planet. I knew nothing about this new book-just randomly picked it up at the library. While I am not planning on going amish (we like our cars and electricity!) it had some interesting ideas and got me thinking about a lot of things. It is a quick read and I would love to hear what others thing.

-I am working on not yelling at my kids. I know for some of you, this is not a problem. Heck, maybe most of you. Not in my house. I don't know if it is the number of kids or that K and I are just loud in everyday life, but I feel like I am always. raising. my. voice. This is now accountability that I am typing this.

-I have been cooking new recipes this week. I haven't felt like cooking at all, so I am not sure what has gotten into me. We had kale last night. Last time I made kale, no one-let me repeat NO ONE ate it. This time it was 4 out of 7, so we are improving. The kids and I have also talked about trying to cook a lot of our food this summer, canning and freezing lots of food and all that fun stuff. They seem positive about it so far but it is only May. And school is not out yet. Check back in a month or two.

-Speaking of school, I cannot believe they only have about 25 more school days! They have had such a good year. We are so blessed to have stellar teachers who not only teach my kids well but love them well and are helping them grow into great people. I cannot believe I will soon be the mother of TWO 4th graders. And a 3rd grader. And two 2nd graders. That is OLD. Where is my life going?

-I know I should have a picture for this post, now that you have read all my ramblings. Let's see what I can find on good old iPhoto.

Oh here is one. This is B and J when we had known them for all of 2 days. :)

Parenting is such a funny thing.

One minute, you think you have a complete understanding of what is going on and seconds later, you feel lost again.

And it can be even more complicated when your parenting does not fit in a box.

No, I do not have 2.5 kids. One of each, who fill typical 'first child and second child' roles.

I have 5 kids, which include 4 boys, a set of twins and 2 adopted sons. Who were only children before then came to our family.

Maybe you have found a book about how this is supposed to go, but I have not found it yet. Please share if you have.

Some days are just hard. I am learning that having multiple boys is a whole different learning curve (thank you mothers of multiple boys who have spoken truth and reminded me that this is all normal!!).

I am learning that almost SIX years into adoption, I am still learning what attachment mean. And looks like. And feels like. And that I had really had no idea that parts of adoption would be the hardest thing I have done.

I am learning that raising 5 kids under 5 was physically exhausting. By have 5 kids between 6-9? Whew, it is a different kind of exhausting. I may not be wiping butts or cutting food, but man, my brain is about ready to explode most afternoons!

BUT in the end, I really would not have it any other way.

Really.

I love my kids and our abnormal looking family.
I love that they are all within 4 inches and 7 pounds of each other.
I love that they all talk really really loud.
I love that we fill up a whole table when we go to a wedding and we don't have to have awkward conversations with anyone else.
I love that they move like a herd of cattle. Really. None of them are wanderers.
I love that we can eat massive amounts of food (and yes I know this one will just get worse and worse).
I love all of these little things.

I write this to remind myself of the things I need to hear on those really tough days, when I am out of patience and energy and I feel like they are winning.

Now just figuring out how to remind myself to read this instead of yelling.....

Random

-B's poem was published in the class newsletter this week and it make me smile.

Ethan and Ben are great friends.
Ben is brown. Ethan is white.
They like to stay up all night.

:)

-I am an aunt again! K's brother and wife had a baby boy yesterday, which I meant I was lucky enough to watch my nieces! I always enjoy my time with them. BUT they also remind me of how old my kids are. I forgot how little you get done chasing an almost 2 year old around!

-H got tubes in his ear last week. We had no idea his ears have been filled with fluid until he was complaining about not being able to hear things. I am amazed at how immediate his hearing has changed! He was sitting at the table last Saturday and told me he heard K's computer making a ticking noise. I put my ear to it, heard nothing and asked him what he was hearing. He said it was a 'tick tick tick' noise. Yup, the CLOCK. He had not heard the clock before! Thank you modern medicine!

-I was talking to B about what he would want to be when he grew up and I had mentioned maybe he would want to be a teacher. I said "Your students will call you Mr. W". He quickly corrected me and said "No, Mr. B" I was telling him that no, as a teacher, they will call you Mr and then you last name. He then proceeded to drill me on all the teachers at school and what their first names were. Yes, he thought the his teachers FIRST name was Strunk. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Everytime I think about this, I just crack up. And am reminded how funny it is as we grow, we forget what it was like to be young and not know these things that seem so basic.

-I just quickly read a book called The Woman Who Wasn't There. Fascinating. I am an awful liar and cannot imagine carrying fabricating and carrying around a lie like that. SO interesting. I also found the book 7 at the library. I mentioned months back but was too cheap to buy it. It has been challenging!! And she is hilarious. Really. Amazing how good laughing is for the soul!

-

It is hard to believe that last Friday, we celebrated J's EIGHTH birthday. 8. Amazing.

It was fun to be able to celebrate with family (and a shared birthday with my mom!) We ate delicious mexican food and yummy chocolate and key limes cakes. I am still full from that meal. :)

J, you were 2 years old when we met you. I cannot believe that we are now celebrating your 8th birthday.  You are growing to be a wonderful young man. I do not think there is a person who has met you that can forget you, your way with words and the amazing way how you can remember everything said. You have a heart that breaks for others and desires to serve and love. You are always putting others before you (so much that at times, I won't let you). You have a yearning to learn and now everything about everything. You mother in Ethiopia would be so proud to see the young man you are becoming. I love that you still think of her often and still love her with all of your heart.

We love you J! You are the perfect middle to our bunch of kiddos!

(On the bottom, I put a link to a video taken years ago. We re-found it on break-it made me smile!) :)

We are enjoying our break. A lot.

So thankful for family, great views, yummy food, sunshine and crashing waves.

Thanks family for always loving us, investing in us, loving our kids, making us laugh and more!

I love music.

We have something blaring at our house a good chunk of the time.

In my car, blaring. Especially if there is no children!!

But there is something I have learned. What I listen really effects my mood. REALLY effects. It is quite amazing.

Now if you know me in real life, you know that I have no idea who is popular or what is cool (though I should admit when K was out of town, I watched the Justin Beiber documentary on Netflix. I had honestly never heard one of his songs before that. HA!)

I spend most of my time listening to worship music. Now before you start thinking of organs and hymnals (they are nice and all.....), no. No organs. No choirs.

My favorites?

Passion Worship
Hillsong
Matt Redman
Caedmon's Call

Passion just came out with a new cd. I am sure I am late in realizing this, but it is fabulous. Oh it is SO SO good.

I love hearing truth ring out through my house. My kids sweet voices singing lines such as

'The cross was enough'
'Bless the Lord, oh my soul, worship his Holy name'
'Your love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me'

TRUTH. Oh how I love hearing truth. The promises of God.

And I am amazed at how my mood can change when music like this is on. I am not saying that other music is wrong or that people are not talented musicians. I am just saying that in my life, I can go from feeling blah and negative to praising God and being full of thanks-sometimes, in just minutes.

Give this CD a try (or any Passion CD), any of you that are skeptical. Listen to it in entirety. In your car. While you cook or cleaning.

Enjoy! :)
'

-I celebrated my 33 birthday last week. I got all of my favorite things: didn't have to cook dinner or put kids to bed and ate a delicious dessert! Amazing how things change and those are my wants. :)


-Me: Okay kids, tomorrow B has tutoring, oh and H the tutor is going to test you too and see where you stand.

H: I hope I stand!!!

HA!

-Life is just busy. Our kids are not really involved in anything at this point in life, but it still just seems so busy! I cannot imagine what it will be like in a few years.


-We were at K's brothers house the other day and he was drilling them on their football facts. They were answering questions left and right and then Uncle Todd suddenly brought up baseball. The boys sat there with blank looks on their faces. He asked what position someone played in baseball. Silence. J speaks up "I think he plays the 'batter' position" :) Guess we need to work on baseball!!


-I don't have any new recipes to share. I am not in a rut, just the ones I have picked lately have not been too good. Oh well, guess that it how you learn!


-We are super excited for Spring Break next week. We need some days to sleep in and rest! We are super excited to see my family and will hopefully have some great pictures!


-H is going to have to get tubes in his ears. This is new territory for us. The poor kids hasn't been able to hear well for a while. I am kicking myself for not noticing. There goes mom of the year award!! :)