For some reason people kept telling me that life with four kids wouldn't be that bad, and it was just like having three, just with a bit more chaos. Well...they lied. It's not easy. Perhaps down the line it will be, but with a 2 year old and an infant, its hard. As with any number of kids you have, from one (not "just" one, but ONE. one is work too!) to 6, I think we can all agree that parenting is hard work...often exhausting, with little appreciation, but high reward value in the good moments.
A lot of times I dwell on the hard times. I focus on what drives me crazy about my kids and tweet about that, rather than search for the good (sometimes I have to really, really search).
This past week, Matt was in Chicago for a conference and it was my first time with all four munchkins for longer than a work day. The first day was a bad day...like whoa. The next day wasn't much improved but our time together did get better overall, and then back down to the dark places, but then better again...you get it. When Matt's out of town, regardless of how many kids we have, it always gives me a better appreciation for him and the incredible dad he is. It also reminds me that I'm not super mom and I can't do everything by myself. I had some wonderful friends who offered to watch some or all of the kids, one friend who brought me a coffee, other friends who sent me encouraging texts and then some friends who I was able to just escape mom-life for a bit and just laugh. All of which helped...all of which helped me not sell my kids to the highest bidder (just joking people, relax).
This weekend I've been playing around with a camera we've been borrowing and I took some pictures of the girls, just being themselves. As I was going through them to see which ones I'd post online I had this moment of awe. I was in awe of who they each are and the amazing little blessings they are to me. I'm sure it helped that I was going through the pictures while they all slept soundly and quietly in their beds, but still... It was refreshing to look through the pictures and just appreciate them for who they are...not who I think they should be, but who they are because of how God designed them. Matt and I have some great girls...even if sometimes they drive us bonkers.
Ryah...our oldest. At 6.5, this child is too smart for her own good. One of my favorite things about Ryah is her love for art and creating things. Its quite normal to find notes and pictures all around the house that she's made for me, like this...these two I found this morning.
Lorelai...oh this girl...she appears to be the quiet one, but don't let her sweet shyness fool you. My favorite thing about Lorelai is her love & compassion; if she could fix the world's problems with a hug, she'd make it happen.
Norah. If you know her, then just hearing her name will bring a smile to your face. She marches to the beat of her own drum. Norah makes it hard to take life too seriously, her antics and crazy behavior often just leaves us laughing & shaking our heads.
Cadence, sweet baby Cadence...we're still figuring her out obviously, but just love her to pieces. Probably loving her more now because she sleeps completely through the night. {Sleep is a valuable, and often rare, commodity over here.} She's kind of an attention hog and that's okay (for now.) Her sisters absolutely adore her and its makes their day when she smiles at them.
So there it is...my therapy session. My need for perspective after a long week.
I have another time without Matt coming up again, so I'll have to pull this back up for more perspective I'm sure.
Okay...just a few more...because this is my blog and I can.
