Top 9 reasons for not blogging in over two months....

Hard to believe that it is nearly 2 months since my last entry.  (so much for being disappointed in the lapse between my last two posts!)  I've resigned myself to the fact that while I'd love to be able to post each day or every few days... my life moves to fast for that these days.  I know the standard list is a "Top 10" approach but I'm hoping that as a mom expecting a 7th with 6 age 6 and under, you'll cut me some slack.  I'm trying to extend myself that courtesy rather than get despondent over not blogging in so long.  So here's a quick rundown of what's kept me from the keyboard......

Since my last post in December, we have:

1) Had at least 5 blizzards , an ice storm, multiple snow days and a smattering of delayed openings at two different schools.  Quite frankly, I don't ever recall seeing as much snow as we have this winter.  I was actually tempted to pray a novena for Puxatawny Phil to see things my way!

 

2) Worked (-ing) our way through a health crisis for my father in law which for the moment makes it impossible for my mother in law to help us in the way we (now we see) took for granted.

3) Found out that baby #7 is a girl - much to the happiness of our eldest daughter Sarah!  And I'm excited at the prospect of a late spring baby.... those first weeks in temperate weather make the transition home so much easier.

4) Both (my husband and I) had turnover in staff and colleagues at work - which, while it brings new opportunities for former colleagues,  leave a hole in my heart and a massive "to do" list to hire for 4 vacancies in my office alone. Especially thankful for the support of the team members supporting me.

5) Been amazed at how Simon has all of a suddent become a 'little man" - insistent on doing big kid things - playing on the swingset, talking up a storm, climbing and fighting full force with his siblings! (and on the down side, refusing to go to bed at a reasonable hour!)

 6) Repainted all three bedrooms and swapped our room for the boys room to give them more space, which necessitated the dismantling and reassembly of multiple sets of bunkbeds.  We have less space but we're adjusting to our even more "cozy" bedroom!

7) Successfully navigated through the first ever "diorama" project for our first graders Sarah and Joe.  Don't laugh - you try to build a shoe box habitat for a veiled cameleon and a monarch butterfly.  I've learned two valuable lessons.  First, it is amazing what you can accomplish using glue sticks, staplers and fake plants when you put your mind to it and second, next year try to influence the animal choice more toward farm animals. Way easier!

8) Celebrated the 5 year old birthday of John Paul and Catherine (and perhaps more impressive, survived the 5 year old pediatrician pre Kindergarten well care visits in which child becomes vaccination pin cushion).

oh... and

9) We bought a new car - a minivan... our 'small ' car when compared with our 12 passenger Chevy! 

Our kids are in love with the fact that we can show one movie on the back screen with the viewers using headphones, and other on the middle screen with the viewers listening over the stereo.  Mom and Dad just love that this makes conversation between them POSSIBLE!

Though I'm tired looking at the list of "highlights" from above (note that there is nothing about shopping for food for a family of 8, cooking, laundry or housekeeping) I know it wouldn't be possible without Mark and I working together and even with the kids pitching in in whatever ways they can.

So maybe - I'm actually ahead of schedule by getting a blog post in in the month of February! 

It has been a tough winter so far - you know it is bad when your 6 children under 6 actually say "No thanks mom, I don't want to go out in the snow and play again". 

Tough times teach me that in every cliche there is some truth  - God won't give us more than we can handle.  Here's hoping God is thinking to bless us with an early spring!